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The Traina Traditions - Farm, Fruit, & Family

BY MELECE CASEY ♦ PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE TRAINA FAMILY

Everything old is new again. Still headquartered at the historic family home in

Patterson, the third-generation Traina fruit farming operation thrives on an intriguing blend of

innovation and experience. Add business savvy, day-to-day determination, and a dash of diversity;

it’s a recipe for success. The family’s wholesale business is one of the biggest industrial fruit

sellers in the country and The Fruit Yard, an orchard-bordered Modesto event center complete with

restaurant, lounge, market, and service station, has been a favorite for decades.

PERSONAL PROFILE

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In 1926, the valley-grown company blossomed in the “Apricot Capital of the World.” “My grandparents were from Italy. Our parents moved from San Jose in 1957. It’s a great farming area,” says owner Joe Traina. “My grandfather had peaches, apricots, and cherries.” Interestingly, his parents, Justin and Josephine Traina, met on a blind date. It turns out that Traina is a common Italian surname. So common, it was shared by the couple before marriage. “My mother’s maiden name is Traina, also. My dad was a medic in WW II. He was stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and was looking in the phone book when he saw another Traina. That’s how they met.” Together, they settled in the West Side community and raised six children, two boys and four girls. “They taught us a good work ethic,” Joe remembers. “It was a regimented life. Old-fashioned. Dinner was always at the same time and not too often at a restaurant or with dessert.” Today, the elder Trainas are 93 and 90 respectively. “We’re very, very fortunate,” says Joe Traina. “My mom still cooks for us when we come over.”

Meanwhile, the company is committed to a legacy of hometown values and homegrown food. “Whether it’s at our restaurant or the fruit company, we produce quality products. At both businesses, we put the customer first,” says CEO Willie Traina, who joined the family firm in 1986. “I wanted to be a finance man, but Joe said, ‘Don’t you want your own business?’ He tricked me into trying it for a year.” Although they grew up in the operation, neither brother set out to farm fruit. “I planned to become a real estate broker, but I always did dried fruit in summer,” says Joe Traina, explaining he discovered a parcel of land at Yosemite and Geer that caught his attention. “When I got out of college we

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BY MAUREEN KATEMOPOULOS

were looking to bring our dry fruit operation to Modesto. We thought it was a high-impact corner.” The landmark location was home to the legendary “Old Foamy.” “It was a little, tiny drive-in with a wooden gas station and old orchard. We ran it for a year and did really well so we said, ‘Let’s continue and build a restaurant.’ From there it kept expanding. It evolved.” The Fruit Yard opened in 1977, and became a celebrated venue for Graffiti-themed car shows and concerts. “We’ve had the Platters, the Coasters, and the Marvelettes. Every old group there is, we’ve had,” says the proprietor, adding plans are in the works for a new open-air performance space on the property. “It’s a pit-style amphitheater. It would seat 3500.” The goal is to attract a bigger variety of hit-makers. “It could conceivably be ready next year.”

Changes, Challenges, & ChoicesTraina Foods has built a worldwide reputation for first-class fruit dried in the Central Valley sun; no small feat for a family-run enterprise. “My father had three brothers. They were partners in farming and a grocery store. I guess there are some similarities,” observes Joe Traina. However, the modern-day industry is different. “Mechanization transformed farming. Where you used to have two- to three-hundred people with knives cutting fruit, now it’s a machine.” In the 1990s, California growers faced cut-throat competition from imports along with decreased demand for canned fruit. “Joe and I saw the writing on the wall,” says Willie Traina. The brothers created a niche selling to the ingredient market. Today, their products are found in many cereals, sauces, and snacks. Additionally, their Old World Italian custom of drying vine-ripened Roma tomatoes in the warm sunshine garnered awards and gained attention, making Traina Foods the world's largest sun dried tomato producer. Bottling good fortune, last year they launched a new twist on an old classic - ketchup. The first

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sun-dried tomato condiment, Traina Foods California Sun-Dried Tomato Ketchup, he says, is rich, zesty, and packed with flavor. “It’s in 3000 stores in the U.S.” The family firm is a large local employer. “People depend on us. We have nearly 70 employees at The Fruit Yard, 120 in Patterson, and 140 seasonal workers,” says Joe Traina, adding that dedicated employees are the key to continued prosperity. “We’ve got people who’ve been with us for 35 years. We treat them like family and they appreciate it.” Two Traina sisters work for the company. Marketing Manager Vickie Traina lives with her family in the Bay Area. “I love working with my brothers. We get along really well and working together keeps us close. It’s great being part of the family business.” Melinda Traina Foster is Production Manager. Another sister, Mary Sexton is an R.N. in Fresno. Her daughter Jennifer works part-time in sales for Traina Foods.

In the summertime, everybody works. The nine Traina grandkids range in age from 12 to 40 years old. “All the grandchildren have worked at the ranch. They put in at least 40 hours of manual labor. It’s a cool tradition. Hopefully, some will like it enough to continue,” says Vickie Traina. “My son Jackson’s been working for three summers helping run the harvest. He’s 17, and a city kid in San Francisco, so it’s interesting. He comes back knowing how to drive

a tractor, identify trees, and be responsible.” But it’s too early to predict if any will fully embrace fruit farming. Right now, the next generation is focused on schooling. “They know hard work and a good education will help them accomplish whatever they want businesswise,” says Willie Traina, who has two growing boys. Future farmers? “One likes gardening. We’ll see.”

Games, Gratitude, & GraceJoe Traina is married to Melissa and has two step-daughters. Willie is married to Raquel. “Our wives are not Italian,” laughs Joe. “We’re still trying to educate them.” Recreationally, the entire clan enjoys travel and savors memories from two exciting family excursions to Italy. The Traina brothers are big sports fans. Warriors. 49’ers. Kings. And according to Willie, his boys are following in their footsteps. “They play football, baseball, and basketball. It’s a full-time job driving them to sports.” Community is at the core of all the family ventures. Retail. Restaurant. Real estate. Farm. “Relationships are huge,” says Joe Traina. “We grew up in this area and we’ve tried to give back as much as we’ve gotten. We’re very involved politically and socially. We’re very active in the community.” Among the charitable concerns supported by firm and family are the Children’s Crisis Center, Comforting Kids, American Cancer Society, and Second Harvest. First and foremost, the Trainas are an industrious Italian farm family with their roots firmly planted in Patterson. “I’m happy for what we’ve accomplished, but it hasn’t come easy.” Simply put, says Joe Traina, “It’s all about fruit.” And it’s about family, all the way. “We get together on holidays, birthdays, and the 4th of July. Everyone gets together at my parents’ home for cioppino on Christmas Eve. Like my dad would say, ‘There are two types of people in the world, Italians and wannabes.’ We’re proud of our heritage.” See trainafoods.com or thefruityard.com. SM