Interview with Paul Holliday, Sales Director for Bird In Hand Potato Co. a division of EK Bare & Sons Inc.

Scattaglia Growers & Shippers is recognized across California’s Central Valley for its deep-rooted tradition of growing premium stone fruit and table grapes.

For generations, the Scattaglia family has refined the art of selecting optimal soil and microclimate conditions, allowing every piece of fruit to reach the perfect stage of development.

This heritage continues under Scattaglia Growers & Shippers (SGS), a company founded in 2007 when Louis Scattaglia decided to combine decades of family farming knowledge with a clear goal: to deliver consistently delicious fruit to consumers while ensuring growers are properly compensated for their efforts.

The result is an operation where quality, safety, sustainability, and customer satisfaction are the driving forces behind everything they do.

In a recent conversation with Produce Leaders, SGS’s Director of Marketing, Kira Navison, explained the company’s approach to providing a great eating experience.

She emphasized the importance of not rushing the harvest process, saying, “We wait for our fruit to reach the optimum size, color and flavor prior to harvest to ensure our consumers have a great eating experience each time they enjoy a piece of our fruit.”

This measured strategy means the fruit is only picked when it meets precise standards of flavor and appearance, ensuring that consumers are consistently delighted whenever they bite into a peach, plum, nectarine, or grape from SGS.

According to Navison, strict attention to color, size, and flavor drives the entire harvest schedule and helps the company maintain its reputation for delivering top-tier produce.

Much of SGS’s success comes from the firm’s willingness to adopt advanced technologies that elevate both efficiency and safety.

Aweta’s high-tech sizer, powered by artificial intelligence, sorts fruit with remarkable precision to uphold size consistency and vibrant color.

In addition, SGS integrates Clean Works, which is a waterless technology designed to sanitize fruit and reduce pathogen risks.

By lengthening shelf life and safeguarding the consumer against potential illnesses, this innovative step goes beyond industry norms.

The company demonstrates a pioneering spirit as the only one in the United States utilizing Clean Works technology for organic stone fruit post-harvest, showcasing its commitment to methods that ensure its fruit meets strict health and safety standards.

Part of the excitement around Scattaglia Growers & Shippers lies in its expansion into organic stone fruit.

While the company already had a strong lineup of conventional peaches, plums, nectarines, and table grapes, SGS moved forward with a full-scale organic stone fruit program, reflecting a broader vision of environmental care and consumer well-being.

One of the multi-generational growers working with SGS, Kliewer Farms, decided to convert its entire stone fruit assortment to organic varieties.

This move underscores a shared commitment to sustainable fruit cultivation without compromising on the flavor and quality that customers have come to expect from SGS.

Demand for organic produce is on the rise, and the company’s commitment to fully embracing the organic market is demonstrated by its participation in OPS this year.

This approach will enable SGS to connect with existing partners and attract new clients, further expanding its footprint in the organic sector.

Although SGS is primarily known for its high-quality fruit, the company has also demonstrated consistent attention to environmental and community responsibilities.

By meeting recognized standards from GLOBALG.A.P. and PrimusGFS, SGS ensures that its farming practices are both safe and sustainable.

This commitment gave retailers and consumers confidence, demonstrating that the fruit they purchase is grown with care, emphasizing both worker welfare and environmental sustainability.

Beyond that, SGS dedicates resources to philanthropic initiatives, supporting charities and educational institutions.

By focusing on the needs of children and individuals who require extra help, the company maintains a strong link with the local community that supports its operations.

The 2024 season brought significant achievements for Scattaglia Growers & Shippers, setting an optimistic foundation for further expansion in 2025.

At Navison words: “We had a great 2024 season, and we are already gearing up for 2025”