We invite you to see the living history of our company, the women and men that make it what it is and the enduring legacies of the Tanimura & Antle families.
Please use scroll down this page to browse family and company milestones. If you wish, you can view an interactive flash version here.
| Tanimuras
Kichigoro Tanimura sets sail from Japan with his wife and children to settle in San Juan Bautista, California where they run a boarding house and general store. Daughter Yukino marries Eijiro Tanimura and raises twelve U.S. born children, known as Nisei, Japanese immigrants born in America. The Tanimuras grow iceberg lettuce and strawberries in Castroville, California. |
 Tanimura Family, circa 1920 |
| Antles
The Bud Antle legacy begins in the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma. The family moves from Oklahoma through Texas and ends up in California on farmland along the Sacramento River, where they found work with area produce growers until 1931. |
 Lester “Bud” and Pat Antle, 1916 |
| Tanimuras
Iceberg lettuce is the crop of choice grown by the Tanimuras. After the death of their father, Eijiro, George Tanimura, the eldest son, runs the farming operation in Salinas and Watsonville. His brother, Charlie, assumes management reins after graduation from Salinas High School and Chisato, the eldest daughter, runs the household. |
 Eijiro Tanimura, 1889-1935
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| Antles
Lester Antle Sr., Buds father, moves his family to Salinas to get involved in the expanding iceberg lettuce industry. Lester works as a trimmer and packer, then as packing shed boss. When old enough, Bud Antle joins his father in the packing sheds and works as a trimmer and packer. |
 Lettuce packing shed, circa 1930 |
| Tanimuras
Charlie and Johnny Tanimura serve in the U.S. Army during WWII. The rest of the Tanimura family spends 3 ½ years in a war relocation center in Poston, AZ. After losing everything during the war, in 1947 the Tanimuras purchase twenty acres in Aromas, CA. They live in a farmhouse large enough to hold the entire family, and grow green onions and iceberg lettuce. A close family friend offers George 30-40 acres to farm ~ and a new beginning. |
 Tommy and Bobby Tanimura, Poston, AZ, circa 1940
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| Antles
Bud and his father, Lester, are able to start their own operation, Bud Antle, Inc. in 1942. Bud Antle’s business and the lettuce industry explode during the war years, supplying fresh lettuce to the East Coast that was shipped overseas to feed soldiers. |
 Bud Antle |
| Tanimuras
George Tanimura and his brothers continue to expand their farming operation, know as TanBro. They invest all profits back into their lettuce operations in Salinas, allowing them to acquire ranch leases for 200 crop acres to produce lettuce from March through November. The Tanimura’s lettuce was grown exclusively for Bud Antle. Bud maintains his 50-50 partnership with the Tanimura brothers. |
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| Antles
Bob Antle, Bud’s son, begins working as a loader in Bud Antle’s lettuce harvest operation, learning from and working side-by-side with the Tanimuras. Once Bob graduates from Stanford University, he returns to work in his family’s growing business. |
 Four generations of Antles |
| Tanimuras
Careful planning and hard work continues to benefit the Tanimuras. Their farming operation grows to include iceberg lettuce, celery, green onions, sweet anise and endive. They launch the “Tanimura Brothers” label. |
 Packing Bud Lettuce |
| Antles
Bud Antle reveals the working prototype of a new concept of lettuce harvesting and shipping. "The Antle Process" machine produces field harvested trimmed lettuce heads wrapped in a newly developed shrinking film which is then vacuum cooled before being shipped to market. Working at average speed, each machine harvests and packs about 300 cartons per hour. |
 “The Antle Process” |
| Tanimuras
By this time, the Tanimura brothers are farming in Salinas, Watsonville and Huron and are Bud Antle’s largest grower and limited partner in the new venture, Salinas Transplant Company (STC) a greenhouse operation. |
 George Tanimura, circa 1970 |
| Antles
Bob Antle's vision of improving their crop by producing their own high-quality vegetable transplants led to the creation of Salinas Transplant Company (STC) which provides the first "cell type" iceberg lettuce transplants in the Salinas Valley. |
 Salinas Transplant Company, circa 1970
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| The Antles established themselves as the largest marketers of premium iceberg lettuce in the United States by 1971, marketing approximately 20,000 acres of crops. |  Bud Antle 1914-1972 “a man of great imagination and determination” |
Tanimura & Antle
| On November 10th, 1982, Bob Antle's birthday, the first box of Tanimura & Antle iceberg lettuce is shipped. “The number 10 will always be special at Tanimura & Antle: the business was started by 7 Tanimuras & 3 Antles, we shipped 10 thousand boxes of iceberg lettuce the first day and the market was $10 a box “ ~ Rick Antle, CEO. |  Rick and Brian Antle, circa 1980
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| Tanimura & Antle is born, a blend of Tanimura farming expertise and Antle harvesting and marketing expertise. |  George Tanimura and Bob Antle, circa 1982 |
| Tanimura & Antle acquires 1/3 interest in Earthbound Farm, the largest branded organic produce supplier. Tanimura & Antle converts 4200 acres to organic production.
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 Earthbound Farms and Tanimura and Antle leadership circa 1990 |
| Broccoflower® brand green cauliflower is introduced by Tanimura & Antle, making a colorful splash in the produce section. |  Wrapped Broccoflower® |
| 2000 - The first shrink-wrapped leaf lettuces are introduced, utilizing technology that improves shelf life and food safety, and reduces store labor.
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 Shrink Leaf Lettuce |
| 2003 - A new logo and trade dress is introduced featuring both family names along with a new tagline – Grown With Family Pride for 3 Generations. It conveys Tanimura & Antle’s premium quality image and has a wide consumer appeal. |  |
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2004 - Tanimura & Antle acquires Denice & Filice, a pepper and proprietary onion business. 2004 - Awarded "Produce Industry Advocate of the Year" by United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association. |
 Pepper Packing Line |
| Current Antle family members involved in the daily business, Mike (Exectuive VP/Operations), Rick (CEO), Brian (Organic Manager). |  Mike, Rick and Brian Antle |
| Jeannie and June Tanimura, are the first generation of Tanimura women who work daily in their family’s produce business. |  Jeannie and June Tanimura |
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In November 2007, Tanimura & Antle celebrates 25 Years of Business and Partnership. |
 Celebrating 25 Years of Partnership |
| Tanimura & Antle continues to lead as an innovator and advocate of sustainable agricultural practices introducing biodiesel tractors, a desk side recycling program and sustainable vendor and packaging policies. |  Clean Sky Blue Biodiesel Tractor |
| Tanimura & Antle reinvigorates the iceberg lettuce category!
Awarded Produce Business Annual Marketing Excellence Award 2007 for the “Hit a Homerun” iceberg lettuce promotion. Innovative and engaging promotions and packaging bring iceberg lettuce back to the table as a MVP! |
  Baseball and Football wrapped iceberg.
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