Andy Boy Produce

Take a walk down your average produce aisle these days and there are more choices than ever. But one farm has a truly eye-catching marketing strategy to entice you, and it all has to do with the bright picture of a little boy named Andy.

Andy Boy Produce is the idea of the D'Arrigo Brothers Farm, which is headquartered in Salinas—the self-proclaimed salad bowl of the world, and there is no mistaking who Andy Boy is in these parts.

You see, when folks around here say Andy D'Arrigo is the face of Andy Boy Produce, they mean it, literally. Now 86 years young, Andy, along with his daughter Margaret and son John, run one of the most successful farms in the Salinas Valley.

It all started back in the early 1900s when Andy's dad and uncle started their operation in New York. Within a few years, though, they moved out West to begin growing fruits and vegetables, and in 1927 Stephen trademarked the name "Andy Boy" in honor of his son.

The company became the very first brand of fresh vegetables in the United States and has been recognized for more than 80 years now as a leading brand in the business. Today the farm feeds the nation by harvesting more than 30,000 acres of fresh vegetables, all packed under the Andy Boy brand. And while they farm a wide variety of produce, some of their biggest sellers as of late are romaine hearts, broccoli rabe and a big hit among culinary professionals—fennel.

Growing the produce is one thing, but getting people to try it is what farmers like the D'Arrigos work hard to do. Recently they teamed up with local chef Todd Fisher and together the farming team and the cooking wizard whipped up some new recipes, giving people creative new ways to enjoy some old favorites.

Their success means the family has also given back to their community—they've donated more than $1 million to breast cancer research over the last 10 years, all in an effort to keep folks eating healthy and feeling healthy. And despite the passage of time, one thing that hasn't passed this farming family by is the appreciation of staying true to their patriarch's core beliefs.

"I think the neat thing is that the company has the same values as it did when it was founded—and they are quality, consistency and value," said Margaret D'Arrigo-Martin. "That's what we always talk about and what we use as our cornerstone today. That's pretty amazing!"

For more information about Andy Boy Produce, visit www.andyboy.com.

For more information about Chef Todd Fisher, visit www.cheftoddfisher.com.