Timeline
Bob and Lupe Jones began growing strawberries in Oxnard, California in 1958 and quickly garnered a reputation for farming some of the highest quality and best tasting strawberries in the nation. The Bobalu brand actually debuted in 1962 as they expanded into marketing and shipping strawberries beyond Oxnard…
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Within ten years, the company expanded into pre-cooling and distribution of strawberries. By 1984 Bobalu expanded again and entered the frozen strawberry processing business. This strategic expansion allowed another outlet for berries that could not be shipped fresh, due to quality standards. This new outlet served to keep fields free of pests and disease by keeping plants clean and healthy and prevented berries from simply being wasted.As the company continued to grow and gain awareness in the industry and with buyers, Bob Jones, his son, and grandsons partnered with different shipping entities building their Southern California strawberry presence. By 2017, Bob had passed and his son was ready to retire, so grandsons, Bobby & RC Jones, seized on the opportunity to supply customers with year-round high-quality strawberries expanding operations in Oxnard, adding Santa Maria, Salinas, Florida, and Mexico bringing us to where we are today.
1958
Bob Jones started growing strawberries in the Oxnard area. Bob Jones’ strawberries garnered a reputation for being some of the highest quality and best tasting strawberries in the nation.
1962
Bob and Lupe Jones launch their new brand “BOBALU” and expand into marketing and shipping strawberries.
1972
Bob Jones expands into pre-cooling and distribution of strawberries.
1984
In the quest to become completely vertically integrated in the strawberry industry Bob Jones enters into the strawberry processing business.
1998-2016
During these years Bob Jones, his son and grandsons partnered with a number of shippers to help them build their Southern California strawberry presence.
2017
The Jones brothers seize on the opportunity to supply their customers with year-round high quality strawberries by expanding operations in Oxnard, Santa Maria, Salinas, Florida, and Mexico.
2021
We have grown to become a fully integrated Grower, Packer, Shipper, and Processor. We have many associates who themselves are third generation members of our extended family. Our management team of family members have over 250 collective years of strawberry growing and packing experience. This is precisely why have adopted the “Family Grown, Farmer Owned” slogan.
2022
A 60th-anniversary milestone for the Bobalu brand. To honor Bob and Lupe, the Jones family established the annual Bobalu Berry Farms Scholarship Program for graduating high school seniors in Ventura County.
2023
We planted both Spring and Fall crops in Oxnard and Santa Maria growing regions, which allowed us to ship fresh strawberries every day of the year from California for the first time. This is a practice we plan to implement every year.
2024
We expanded our scholarship program to include both California growing regions and children of our employees. To date, we have awarded 44 scholarships to students now attending Universities and community colleges all over the U.S. Be sure to visit our scholarship page to learn more about the program.