MARIANI FRUITS RICH LOCAL HISTORY

Vacaville prides itself on its family values. It may be the reason why a world-known and branded company like Mariani Packing Company decided to move its operations from San Jose to Vacaville in 2001. So here, we celebrate our family principles and orchard heritage by paying homage to this a family owned-and -operated business.

This year marks a milestone in the history of Mariani Packing Company. For 100 years and four generations in California, the Mariani family has grown, dried, processed and packaged the finest and freshest dried fruit and ingredient products.

In 1906 an immigrant son of a European farmer, Paul Mariani Sr. arrived in California and started the Mariani company with a cluster of fruit trees on a mere four acres. After surviving initial setbacks he began to prosper, eventually expanding his acreage and venturing into new markets. His son, Paul Mariani Jr., inherited his father’s knack for innovation. In the early 1940s Paul Jr. developed a moist dried fruit product that did not have to be rehydrated at home.

By 1979, third generation Mark Mariani became responsible for the company legacy. For Mark, his name is more than just the company name, it is a family name. Mariani insists on close, personal contact with growers throughout the year to insure they use the freshest fruit to produce premium dried fruit and ingredient products. Meeting stringent Mariani specification and high quality standards in the orchards, the company harvests only after the sun-ripened fruit have reached maximum maturity.

Today, Mariani Packing Company’s processes over 125 millions pounds of dried fruit each year which has made them the largest independent dried fruit processor in the US. You can find their products in over 27,000 grocery stores nationwide and in 22 countries around the world.

Chances are the grocery store you shop in carries the Mariani brand. Or, you may have already sampled Mariani products. As the major provider to Kellogg’s, the “two scoops of raisins in every Kellogg’s Raisin Bran” most likely has come from one of Mariani’s four processing plants. The company markets a full assortment of premium dried fruits: Dried Plums, Apricots, Cranberries, Apples, Raisins and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, just to name a few!

The family continues to follow the vision and values set forth by Paul Mariani, Sr. with Mark Mariani and Chairman/CEO and great grandson George Sousa, Jr., as president. They are committed to the early lessons of their predecessors by keeping true to company values: mutual respect, embrace change, improve continuously, never compromise on quality and build for the future.