Fresno-based Sun-Maid earns national recognition as a 2026 Best Managed Company
Sun-Maid, one of the San Joaquin Valley’s longest-operating farming cooperatives, has received national recognition as one of the 2026 US Best Managed Companies.
The award is given annually by Deloitte Private, a global professional services firm, and The Wall Street Journal.
Based in Fresno, Sun-Maid was one of 63 U.S. private companies that “demonstrated excellence across four dimensions: strategic planning, operational execution, culture, and financials and governance.,” according to a Deloitte press release.
“I am honored to recognize the organizations selected to this year’s US Best Managed Companies program,” said Wolfe Tone, vice chair and US Deloitte Private leader. “These private businesses — many of them family- or employee-owned — are making bold investments in growth while strengthening the trust they’ve built with customers and the communities they serve.”
Sun-Maid was founded in 1912, and its growers have weathered major headwinds over the years, from shrinking acreage to a shortage of workers. Thousands of acres have been removed as growers turned to higher-value crops such as pistachios and almonds.
But the industry didn’t fold. New marketing campaigns led by Sun-Maid, innovations in mechanical harvesting and new raisin grape varieties have kept the industry thriving.
Sun-Maid and 13 other companies received a special Platinum designation, showing they’ve been selected for the program for seven or more years. Thirty-three Gold honorees are those selected for four to six years.
“The Platinum and Gold honorees exemplify what it takes to excel as a private enterprise,” said Marlow Campos, US.. Best Managed Companies Program leader, in a news release. “These organizations reflect long-term strategic planning supported by strong governance and culture that continues to evolve over time.”
