Bolthouse acquires Rousseau’s carrot operations

Building on its 100 plus years of carrot farming heritage, Bakersfield, California-based Bolthouse Farms announced March 25 it had entered into an agreement to acquire Arizona-based Rousseau Farming Co.’s carrot operations.

This move, part of Bolthouse Farms long-term growth plans, further demonstrates its vision of “Plants Powering People” and its mission to feed and nourish people.

“This acquisition will help us scale to serve our customers better by bringing more fresh and healthy, locally grown carrots to them in the Southwest,” said Bolthouse Farms CEO Jeff Dunn. “We’ve had a longstanding relationship with the Rousseau family and are committed to partnering with companies that share our core values of sustainability, product quality and customer service. We look forward to continuing to grow our businesses and support the industry together.”

From a strategic standpoint, the acquisition will allow Bolthouse Farms to focus on providing customers more locally-grown carrots as part of its regional strategy and “four corners” growing approach – Washington, Georgia, eastern Canada and now Arizona, in addition to California. It will also bolster Bolthouse Farms’ plans for innovation in the carrot space. While the company is already equipped when it comes to automation, processing and packing advancements, the company plans to refine the product, introduce new varieties and optimize the growth cycle and supply chain.

Bolthouse Farms and Rousseau Farming Company both share rich histories in farming. The Bolthouse family started carrot farming in 1915 in Grant, Michigan and by 1950 established itself as a leading supplier in the Midwest –today, Bolthouse Farms is one of the top carrot producers in the U.S. with a reputation for flavor and quality. Similarly, the Rousseau family has been putting fresh produce on tables since 1892 and remains committed to providing consumers with locally grown produce more than 120 years later.

Will Rousseau, owner of Rousseau Farming C., and a fourth-generation Salt River Valley farmer concluded, “My family has focused on providing fresh produce for the American table for more than 125 years, and I believe partnerships like this are what will help us continue to evolve and certainly see us through another 100 years.”

Rousseau Farming Co.’s name for carrot operations is not expected to change as a result of the acquisition. Additionally, Rousseau Farming Co. will retain ownership of all other produce operations. The terms of the deal, which has been in development for the past few months, are not disclosed, as both companies are privately held.

For more than a century, Bolthouse Farms has been known as the innovation leader in growing and distributing carrots and high-quality, innovative branded products. Employing more than 2,200 people and headquartered in Bakersfield in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley, Bolthouse Farms is one of the largest carrot growers and distributors in the U.S.