D'Arrigo Brothers

Brothers Andrea and Stefano D’Arrigo emigrated from Sicily to the United States in 1904 and 1911, respectively.{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vTZaAAAAYAAJ&q=%22D%27Arrigo+Brothers%22 | title=The Packer: A Century of Produce, 1893-1993| year=1993}} They both obtained engineering degrees and served during World War I before starting their produce business. In 1923 the two brothers established their first business in Boston, bringing fresh produce from around the country to the Boston market.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTnugVo75Tc|title=D'Arrigo Brothers|via=www.youtube.com}} While on a trip to California in 1925, Stefano D’Arrigo noted the abundance of land perfect for growing produce near what is now San Jose, California With a packet of broccoli seeds from Sicily, the brothers established a growing operation on the West Coast. That operation is now headquartered in Spreckels, California 50 miles south of San Jose in the Salinas Valley, sometimes called the Salad Bowl of the World.

The brothers developed a refrigeration system to keep produce fresh during cross-country train trips, and became the first company to ship fresh fruits and vegetables from California to the East Coast of the United States, year-round. This was unprecedented at the time, and initiated the modern fresh produce industry. The company trademarked "Andy Boy" in 1927 as the first-ever brand of fresh vegetables in the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.andyboy.com/|title=Andy Boy|website=Andy Boy}}{{cite web|url=http://thecuisineist.blogspot.com/2010/11/eighty-seven-years-feeding-nation.html|title=Eighty-Seven Years feeding a nation. The D'Arrigo Bros and their Andy Boy brand set an example for us all. A company with a "Societal Conscience"}}{{cite web|url=https://darrigofoundation.org/|title=Andrew and Phyllis D'Arrigo Charitable Foundation|website=Andrew and Phyllis D’Arrigo Charitable Foundation}}{{cite web|url=https://m.andnowuknow.com/headlines/andy-darrigo-original-andy-boy-retires/jordan-okumura/48290|title=Andy D'Arrigo, the Original "Andy Boy," Retires|first=Melissa De|last=Leon|date=February 1, 2016|website=ANUK Mobile}} After many years in Boston, the D’Arrigo brothers opened their New York operation in 1948 with Andrea's oldest son, Stephen, in charge.

Like all of the other major agribusinesses of the Salinas Valley, D'Arrigo Brothers have had their share of difficulties with labor shortages and strikes.{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SoUVCgAAQBAJ&dq=%22D%27Arrigo+Brothers%22&pg=PA128 | title=Lettuce Wars| isbn=9781583673324| last1=Neuburger| first1=Bruce| year=2013}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.alrb.ca.gov/legal_searches/decisions/32_1(2006).pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212201619/https://www.alrb.ca.gov/legal_searches/decisions/32_1(2006).pdf |archive-date=2018-02-12 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.casp.net/uncategorized/darrigo-bros-of-california-v-united-farmworkers-of-america-court-of-appeal-tosses-agricultural-companys-lawsuit/|title=D'Arrigo Bros. of California v. United Farmworkers of America – Court of Appeal Tosses Agricultural Company's Lawsuit|date=March 24, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lettucewars.net/p/in-lettuce-fields-timeline.html|title=Timeline}}{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1111/j.1743-4580.1999.tb00135.x|title = Every Worker is an Organizer|journal = Working USA|volume = 2|issue = 6|pages = 67–76|year = 1999|last1 = Bacon|first1 = David}}{{Cite journal|url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8r57d368|title=Recent Developments in California Labor Relations|first=Daniel J. B.|last=Mitchell|date=November 22, 2004|via=escholarship.org}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/news/2017/05/09/severe-labor-shortage-drives-ag-bill/101492096/|title=Severe labor shortage drives ag bill|first=Amy|last=Wu|website=The Salinas Californian}}

The Boston and New York operations serve as distribution centers for fresh produce. The California operation serves as both a growing operation with over 30,000 acres under cultivation, and a distribution center, with approximately 3,000 employees.{{cite web|url=http://agtechsalinasca.com/featured-employers/darrigo-brothers/|title=D'Arrigo Bros. Co. of California | Major Employers in Salinas|website=Salinas, California}}

In August 2006 D'Arrigo Brothers opened a new headquarters facility that would house cooling, shipping, business and administrative operations all under one roof.{{cite web|url=http://www.producenews.com/category-list/9-story-cat/1526-1393|title=D'Arrigo Bros. opens cooler in Spreckels|website=The Produce News - Covering fresh produce around the globe since 1897.}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMfiOjzDZZc|title=D'Arrigo Bros Co, of California (Andy Boy) "A Day in the Life"|via=www.youtube.com}}

In 2011 D'Arrigo Brothers introduced four new, improved varieties of cactus pears— orange, red, purple and green — that are firmer, sweeter and juicier than the traditional variety.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/food/la-xpm-2011-nov-04-la-fo-marketwatch-20111104-story.html|title=Market Watch: Elevating the cactus pear|date=November 4, 2011|website=Los Angeles Times}}{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1111/j.1744-7348.2008.00222.x|title = Colour inheritance in cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruits|journal = Annals of Applied Biology|volume = 152|issue = 3|pages = 307–318|year = 2008|last1 = Felker|first1 = P|last2 = Stintzing|first2 = F.C|last3 = Müssig|first3 = E|last4 = Leitenberger|first4 = M|last5 = Carle|first5 = R|last6 = Vogt|first6 = T|last7 = Bunch|first7 = R}} The climate of the Santa Clara Valley and Salinas Valley, where they grow their cactus pear, is ideally suited for these unusual fruits.{{Cite journal|jstor = 41425474|title = Temperature Limitations for Cultivation of Edible Cacti in California|journal = Madroño|volume = 49|issue = 4|pages = 228–236|last1 = Nobel|first1 = Park S|last2 = de la Barrera|first2 = Erick|last3 = Beilman|first3 = David W|last4 = Doherty|first4 = Jennifer H|last5 = Zutta|first5 = Brian R|year = 2002}}

In December 2015, 'Andy Boy' D'Arrigo, the namesake of their premier brand, retired.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecalifornian.com/story/life/my-neighbors/2015/12/08/andy-boy-darrigo-bids-adieu-sort/77005672/|title='Andy Boy' D'Arrigo bids adieu|website=The Salinas Californian}}

In 2016, D'Arrigo Brothers partnered with Driscoll's berry growers to use the newly expanding D'Arrigo cooler facility for Driscoll's berries.{{cite web|url=https://www.andnowuknow.com/shop-talk/driscolls-and-darrigo-bros-co-california-form-fresh-sweet-and-sustainable/laura-hillen/51611|title=Driscoll's and D'Arrigo Bros. Co., of California Form "Fresh, Sweet, and Sustainable" Partnership|first=Laura|last=Hillen|date=November 9, 2016|website=And Now U Know}}

In 2017 D’Arrigo Brothers initiated a 2.2 megawatt solar power system that allows them to lower utility bills by about $1 million annually.{{cite web|url=https://www.farmprogress.com/vegetables/d-arrigo-bros-co-unveils-solar-power-system-salinas|title=D'Arrigo Bros. Co. unveils solar power system in Salinas|date=May 6, 2016|website=Farm Progress}}{{cite web|url=https://www.perishablenews.com/produce/calcom-solar-deploys-a-2-2mw-solar-system-at-darrigo-bros-co-of-ca/|title=CalCom Solar Deploys A 2.2MW Solar System At D'Arrigo Bros. Co., Of CA|first1=D’Arrigo Bros|last1=Co|first2=of|last2=CA|date=May 6, 2016}} This has expanded in 2018 by an additional 1.1 megawatts, and in mid-2018 should increase to a total of 5.5 megawatts.{{Cite web |url=http://calcomsolar.com/news/d%E2%80%99arrigo-california-adds-11-megawatts-mw-of-solar-power-to-monterey-county%E2%80%99s-largest-privately |title=D'Arrigo California Adds 1.1 Megawatts (MW) of Solar Power to Monterey County's Largest Privately Owned Solar Projects Designed by CalCom Solar | CalCom Solar |access-date=2018-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212201608/http://calcomsolar.com/news/d%E2%80%99arrigo-california-adds-11-megawatts-mw-of-solar-power-to-monterey-county%E2%80%99s-largest-privately |archive-date=2018-02-12 |url-status=dead }}

In July 2012 the Natividad Medical Center launched D’Arrigo Family Specialty Services to benefit a patient population that includes many farmworkers, based on a donation from the D'Arrigo Brothers.{{Cite web |url=http://www.natividad.com/about-us/in-the-news/darrigo-clinic-grand-opening |title=Grand opening for d'Arrigo clinic | Natividad Medical Center |access-date=2018-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211072226/http://www.natividad.com/about-us/in-the-news/darrigo-clinic-grand-opening |archive-date=2018-02-11 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.natividadfoundation.org/donors/foundation-donors/the-darrigo-family/|title=Andrew & Phyllis D'Arrigo Charitable Foundation|website=Natividad Foundation}}

• D'Arrigo California Original "Andy Boy" {{Official website|http://www.andyboy.com}}
• D'Arrigo Massachusetts {{Official website|http://www.darrigoma.com}}
• D'Arrigo New York {{Official website|http://www.darrigony.com}}

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Category:1923 establishments in Massachusetts

Category:Companies based in Monterey County, California