In the San Joaquin Valley, the vineyards of Garcia Family Farms hang heavy with clusters of sweet, juicy grapes ripe for picking. But here, in the heart of California’s richest agricultural region, something much rarer than the perfect bunch of Thompsons is growing. At Garcia Family Farms, the American dream is in full bloom.

It’s a story plucked from the pages of a novel, but in the case of Eduardo Garcia, this is no work of fiction. For Mac Cordova, general manager at the Arvin-based company, this tale is proof that with hard work, the possibilities are endless.

“Eduardo Garcia is a self-made man, a devoted-family man, and above all, a hard working man, who should give himself a day off now and then!” he said with a chuckle.

According to Mac, Eduardo Garcia first came to the San Joaquin Valley from Mexico in the 1970’s, where he took a job as a laborer. He worked hard and saved his money as best he could for years, until one day he had enough money to buy a few heads of cattle, and then a few years later, a corral. In 1984, he had stashed away enough to purchase his first ranch, and Garcia Family Farming was born. Today, Mr. Garcia owns 15,000 head of cattle and 1,500 acres of table grapes, and he runs a successful labor contracting business as well, said Mac. In addition to cattle, the ranch raises sheep, pigs, goats, and show horses.

Oppenheimer markets a full range of grape varieties produced by Garcia Family Farms, the table grape arm of Mr. Garcia’s operation. “Garcia Family Farms grows excellent quality grapes,” said Josh Leichter, grape category director at Oppenheimer. “They also produce some of the earliest fruit in the San Joaquin Valley and are known throughout the industry for their high quality,”

The partnership began in 2006, when Oppenheimer marketed limited quantities of the Garcia’s grapes for the duration of the California season, which stretches from late June to November. The excellent fruit quality and overall experience of working together during that time inspired Oppenheimer to make a long-term connection with the grower, a deal which was solidified in the spring of this year. The Garcia’s product is now a vital part of Oppenheimer’s California grape program, as we market the full spectrum of popular varieties they grow, including Perlettes, Flames, Thompsons, Crimsons, Black Seedless and Red Globe grapes.

Mac, who was an Oppenheimer sales representative for over a decade in the ‘80s and ’90s, played a key role in bringing the two companies together.

“I have always had a great deal of respect for Oppenheimer and the vision of the company,” he said. “When I was looking for a partner for Garcia Family Farms, I already had a high level of comfort with Oppenheimer from my own experience. With the distribution and marketing programs Oppenheimer has in place we can achieve our goals as a grower and take things to the next level within our own organization.”

Today, Garcia Family Farming is true to its name, as Mr. Garcia works alongside his son Rene, who is the company’s director of operations, and his daughter Lupe, who manages accounts payable and administrative duties. He and his wife Amalia’s eldest son, Eduardo Jr., currently lives in Mexico.

To Mac, Eduardo Garcia serves as a reminder of the fundamentals at the core of the American dream. “This is a real-life success story that proves anything is possible with determination and hard work,” he said.

--Story by Kinley Engdahl-Johnson, Media Relations Specialist