Quick Take

Bonnie Plants, an Alabama-based greenhouse growing company, will pay workers who say they were unfairly fired from its Watsonville facility more than $114,000. In her weekly look at Santa Cruz County business, Jessica M. Pasko also covers area wineries in the tariff crossfire, honors for Driscoll's and Annieglass and numbers and events to know.

Each week, we’re taking a closer look at the movers and shakers, the growth of industries, and what’s really driving the Santa Cruz County economy. I’ll be spotlighting some of the biggest areas for opportunity, updates on local development and all things underpinning the regional business scene each Wednesday.

Got ideas? Send them my way to news@lookoutlocal.com with “Business News” in the subject line.

Greenhouse growing company in Watsonville settles unfair labor practice suit

An Alabama-based company will pay over $114,000 in lost wages and other payments to eight former farmworkers who said they were unfairly fired from the company’s Watsonville facility after registering complaints.  

Under a settlement with the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB), Bonnie Plants agreed to the payment to resolve six unfair labor practice charges. According to the charges filed, Bonnie Plants laid off the employees in retaliation for reporting concerns about alcohol consumption on the job, mistreatment by forepersons and a company policy about clocking in for work hours.

According to Jessica Arciniega, regional director with the ALRB, the layoffs occurred in January and May 2023. Under the terms of the settlement, Bonnie Plants agreed to pay the employees for their lost wages instead of offering them their jobs back. ALRB representatives will also post a notification about workers’ rights under the ALRB Act at Bonnie Plants’ facility on Green Valley Road. 

Bonnie Plants is a wholesale greenhouse grower and one of the largest national suppliers and producers of vegetable and herb plants in the U.S., with 70 growing stations across the country. The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement. 

ICYMI: Santa Cruz wineries uncertain about status of Canadian exports after tariff backlash

Madson Wines in Santa Cruz
Madson Wines in Santa Cruz exports $10,000 to $15,000 of wine a year to Quebec and Ontario. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

Local wineries are among the businesses trying to navigate new tariff policies being floated by President Donald Trump. As Lily Belli reports, Canada announced last week that it would halt all imports of American alcohol, but later paused the boycott. Still, the pause has left wineries in Santa Cruz County and beyond uncertain about the status of their exports.

Ch-ch-changes: Openings, closings and other developments

  • Driscoll’s named No. 2 food and beverage brand in new industry ranking: Circana, a leading consumer brand research organization, has ranked Driscoll’s as the No. 2 highest-selling retail food and beverage brand nationally. The Watsonville-based berry giant saw 12% growth in sales and 13% growth in units sold last year, making it among the fastest-growing brands in the U.S., Jonna Parker, vice president of the fresh foods group at Circana, said in a release. Driscoll’s first made Circana’s top-10 list in 2019. 
  • Billabong to close Pleasure Point store: The Billabong store on Portola Drive is among more than 100 stores nationally that will close after the parent company filed for bankruptcy. It’s slated for closure at the end of April. Billabong is owned by Liberated Brands, which also owns the Quiksilver and Volcom brands.
  • Annieglass wins national design award: Watsonville’s Annieglass recently won “top tabletop design manufacturer” at the 35th annual ARTS Awards in Dallas. The awards honor excellence in the home furnishings industry.
  • Eight local wineries win top honors at San Francisco wine competition: Bargetto Winery, Nicholson Vineyards, Storrs Winery & Vineyards, Rexford Winery, Soquel Vineyards, Integrity Wines, Wargin Wines and El Vaquero Winery all took home top honors at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition last month. They were among nearly 1,000 wineries (and 5,500 wines) from across the country competing in the event, and all received either gold or double gold medals.
  • Universal Audio wins three technical awards: Scotts Valley’s Universal Audio won three Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards last month at the National Association of Music Merchants show, one of the music industry’s largest trade shows. The TEC Awards honor excellence in professional audio production and product innovation. Universal Audio won in the computer audio hardware, musical instrument amplification & effects, and signal processing software effects categories. Founded in 1958, Universal Audio focuses on recording products and other audio equipment.

Got hires, promotions, or departures to report? Send them to news@lookoutlocal.com with the subject line “Career changes.”

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Looking at the numbers

  • $27.5 billion: That’s how much money Americans are expected to spend on Valentine’s Day this year, according to a new survey from the National Retail Federation. The retail organization says that’s a new record, surpassing the previous mark of $27.4 billion set in 2020. Last year, consumers spent $25.8 billion on all things Valentine’s Day. The most popular gift category this year is expected to be candy, with Americans planning to spend $2.5 billion on the sweet stuff. 

Save the date 

  • Thursday, Feb. 13: The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual members meeting at the Dream Inn in Santa Cruz from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Details and registration here.
  • Saturday, Feb. 15: Ann Lopez, executive director of the Center for Farmworker Families, will speak about the realities of California farmworkers’ lives and the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on small farms in Mexico. The free talk, from 3 to 4:15 p.m., takes place at the Boulder Creek Branch Library, 13390 W. Park Ave., Boulder Creek.
  • Thursday, Feb. 20: Pajaro Valley Business Builders will host its next business mixer from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hampton Inn & Suites, 75 Lee Rd. in Watsonville. 
  • Monday, Feb. 24: Monterey Bay Economic Partnership President and CEO Tahra Goraya and Santa Cruz County Bank CEO Krista Snelling are among 50 women leaders who will take part in the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s Mentoring Monday event. The event brings together the region’s top businesswomen and other leaders to share their stories and tips for success. It takes place from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Villa Ragusa, 35 S. Second St., Campbell. Tickets and more details here.
  • Wednesday, March 19: The cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz are co-hosting a job fair for jobs in construction, electrical, plumbing, welding, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), agriculture and related fields. The event, open to those age 18 and up, will be held from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the Watsonville Civic Plaza Community Room, 275 Main St., Watsonville. For details and registration, click here.
  • Friday, March 21: The Santa Cruz Small Business Camp will bring together a day of interactive sessions with local business owners, networking opportunities and a keynote address by Jared Truby of Cat & Cloud Coffee at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. Speaker and session details will be released later this month. Details and registration here.
  • Thursday, April 3: The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards gala at the Cocoanut Grove Ballroom in Santa Cruz from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Details and registration here. 

Add your business or networking events to Lookout’s free public calendar, BOLO. Click here to add your event.

Business news worth reading

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Jessica M. Pasko has been writing professionally for almost two decades. She cut her teeth in journalism as a reporter for the Associated Press in her native Albany, New York, where she covered everything...