The Morning Star Company
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food products |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | Chris J. Rufer |
| Headquarters | Woodland, California |
Key people | Chris J. Rufer |
| Website | morningstarco.com |
The Morning Star Company is a Woodland, California-based agribusiness and food processing company founded in 1970.[1] The company was originally founded as a trucking outfit[2] by Chris Rufer, who remains the sole owner.[3]
Morning Star processes about 40% of the California processing tomato production, and supplies a significant portion of the U.S. industrial tomato paste and diced tomato markets.[4] It processes about 5 million tons of tomatoes each year.[5] Its factories are capable of producing over 3,000 tons of tomatoes per hour.[6] It has approximately 550 full-time employees and over 2,500 seasonal workers during harvest season. The company's revenue exceeds $1 billion per year.[7] As of October 2023, it is the global market leader in tomato processing, supplying approximately "...10% of the world’s ingredient tomato products..."[8]
Morning Star is a vertically integrated company with affiliates producing and transplanting tomato seedlings, harvesting tomatoes, and delivering them to processing factories. [7]
The company has attracted attention for its philosophy of no supervisory management,[9] described by owner/founder, Chris Rufer, as "Mission Focused Self-Management." Workers are encouraged to innovate independently, define job responsibilities themselves, and even make equipment purchasing decisions in consultation with experts.[10] Similarly, compensation is based on peer evaluations.[11]
In 2013, Morning Star was listed as one of INC Magazine's Audacious Companies.[12]
History[edit]
Chris Rufer founded Morning Star in 1970 as the owner-operator, transporting tomatoes from fields to canneries. Morning Star established its first factory in Los Banos, CA in 1990, and later expanded by constructing a second facility in Williams, CA (1995) and built a third factory in Santa Nella, CA (2002).[13][14]
Production mechanism[edit]
Morning Star, as part of its innovative approach to tomato paste production, has implemented several changes to improve its factories. These changes include the use of gravity-fed systems to remodel the unloading process, energy-saving measures like cooling ponds and elevated unloading systems, and the introduction of a 300-gallon bag-in-box packaging system. As a result, these measures have improved the company's ability to produce tomato paste that is both environmentally sustainable and efficient.[8][15]
Gallery[edit]
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Tomato processing flume systems -
Tomato sort conveyor -
Tomato sort flumes -
The Morning Star Company Evaporators
See also[edit]
- Worker Cooperative
- Dominos Pizza - The Morning Star Company supplies a majority of the tomato pizza sauce for the USA market
- Heinz Tomato Ketchup - The Morning Star Company supplies a majority of the tomato paste ingredients for USA market
- Zappos
- Holacracy
References[edit]
- ^ "Morning Star Co/The - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg News.
- ^ Staff, Praxis (2015-06-09). "The Morning Star Company: A Praxis Business Partner". Praxis. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
- ^ "Morning Star's Success Story: No Bosses, No Titles, No Structural Hierarchy". Corporate Rebels. 2016-11-14. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
- ^ Allen, Arthur (2010-03-19). "Rotten Tomatoes". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ "Morning Star". Tomato News.
- ^ gall_admin. "Join our Team – Morning Star Careers". Tomato Processing and Packing Company - Morning Star Co. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
- ^ a b Hamel, Gary (December 2011). "First, Let's Fire All the Managers". Harvard Business Review. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- ^ a b gall_admin. "Tomato Processing Plant and Manufacturer - California Factories". Tomato Processing and Packing Company - Morning Star Co. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
- ^ Wartzman, Rick. "If Self-Management Is Such a Great Idea, Why Aren't More Companies Doing It?". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
- ^ "I, Tomato: Morning Star's Radical Approach to Management". ReasonTV. Reason Foundation. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
- ^ Gino, Francesca; Staats, Bradley R.; Hall, Brian J.; Chang, Tiffany Y. (2013-09-26). "The Morning Star Company: Self-Management at Work".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Buchanan, Leigh (2013-04-18). "One Company's Audacious Org Chart: 400 Leaders, 0 Bosses". Inc.com. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
- ^ "Sacramento Valley growing more tomatoes thanks to water". Daily Democrat. 2016-12-01. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ gall_admin. "Tomato Processing and Packing Company - Morning Star Tomatoes". Tomato Processing and Packing Company - Morning Star Co. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ gall_admin. "Sustainable Processing Practices for a Healthy Environment". Tomato Processing and Packing Company - Morning Star Co. Retrieved 2023-10-06.