Taylor Fresh Foods (known colloquially as Taylor Farms) is an American-based producer of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. It is based in Salinas, California. Taylor Farms[2] was founded by former Fresh Express (now Chiquita) founder and CEO Bruce Taylor in 1995. As of 2009, Taylor Farms was ranked as the world's largest salad and fresh-cut vegetable processor.[3] The company distributes their produce through third parties such as Golden State Foods to several California school districts and chain restaurants, such as McDonald's and Chipotle Mexican Grill.[4]
Taylor Farms was established by Bruce Taylor, a third-generation member of a family engaged in the fresh produce industry. Prior to Taylor Farms, Bruce Taylor founded Fresh Express, which Wahquita Brands later acquired. In 1995, Bruce Taylor and a group of partners founded Taylor Farms.[5]
In May 2011, Taylor Farms acquired River Ranch Fresh Foods, LLC, incorporating it as a wholly owned subsidiary.[6] However, River Ranch later closed operations in 2013.[7]
In August 2015, the company moved their headquarters to Salinas, California.[8][9]
Operations
Taylor Farms supplies many of the largest supermarket chains and foodservice restaurants in the United States.[10] Taylor Farms headquarters are located in Salinas, California with 2,000 employees; and with regional processing plants in various locations.[10]
Taylor Farms has faced difficulties with labor shortages, labor contractors, and salaries.[11] In addition, the company has been subject to claims that they abused the 'temporary worker' contractors by keeping the 'temporary' employees as low-salaried long-term employees.[12][13]
In 2012, Taylor Farms introduced fuel cell technology as an energy efficiency development, cutting energy costs at one facility by 30%.[14] The company has also developed a facility utilizing power co-generation, wind, and solar energy.[15][16]
Food safety recalls
Taylor was one of the companies whose products were recalled due to food safety concerns in 2011, including a May recall of salads mixed with grape tomatoes supplied by Florida growers and an October recall of salad blends produced by Taylor. No illnesses related to consumption of the recalled products were reported.[17][18] Additional product recalls in 2012 included mangoes voluntarily removed August 30 by Taylor Farms New Jersey and retailers from East Coast food stores in four states.[19] Drew McDonald, vice president of national quality systems for Taylor, had testified at a 2009 house panel convened to consider the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. In this testimony, McDonald expressed the opinion that final-product testing does not improve food safety and, in some cases, punishes good facilities for their surveillance when a problem is found.[3] On October 25, 2024, Taylor Farms announced a recall after it was identified as the source of an E. Coli outbreak stemming from raw onions consumed at McDonald's that were sourced from the company.[20] Initially, at least 49 people were impacted with one death attributed to the outbreak.[21] Ultimately, this was revised to 104 impacted and one death, with a FDA inspection finding numerous violations in food safety procedures at the Taylor Farms facility.[22]
Teamsters Union protest
In 2016, members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a labor union, protested in front of Chipotle restaurants, aiming to pressure the chain to recognize their supplier, Taylor Farms, to the union.[23]
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