PARTNER'S PRODUCE, INC.
Our Story
George Rodriguez, the son of migrant farm workers, embarked on his farming journey in 1971 when he purchased a small farm west of Ontario, Oregon. Over time, with determination and hard work, that farm grew into what is now Partner's Produce, Inc.
George & Lupe Rodriguez's journey to success is one of resilience and dedication. Growing up, George started working in the fields at a young age. After marrying Lupe, her father, a local farmer, encouraged him to start farming. With a modest 3-acre plot, George & Lupe worked tirelessly, managing their farm while George held a full time job at an Ontario Oregon packing warehouse. He worked at the warehouse during the day and then devoted his evenings to the farm. This dedication continued for over 2 decades. Rodriguez Farms, a family-run operation, saw the daily involvement of Lupe in the field and the help of their children, George, Jr., Monica, & Eddie. In 1998, the couple founded Partner's Produce, Inc. Over the following years, the company expanded significantly.
1971
Rodriguez Farms was started with a 3-acre plot of land in Ontario, Oregon.
1997
George Rodriguez is names 'Agriculturalist of the Year; by the Chamber of Commerce
1998
George & Lupe Rodriguez founded Partner's Produce, Inc. along with two partners.
1999
A second packing line was installed, increasing the production capacity to over 2,500 - 50 lb bags per hour.
2000
An onsite raw onion storage facility holding 4,500 bins of onions was added.
2003 + 2004
Whole-peeled onion lines were added and value added product was established. Additionally, a 6,000 sq. ft. processing facility was built adjacent to existing buildings
2006
A freezing line complete with a state of the art blancher/cooler and freezing tunnel was installed as an extension to the existing whole peeled processing line.
2009
Partner's Produce purchases more than $5 million worth of onions from local growers + more in 2010!
2012
Partners Produce + The Rodriguez Family were given the opportunity to be interviewed and featured in the Hispanic Executive magazine!
2017
A big snow storm collapsed multiple onion storages and packing facilities leaving leaving Partner's Produce.
2018
it took longer than 18 months to rebuild. Partner's Produce built four new cold storages with floor air, able to store 25 million pounds! Adjacent to the cold storage facilities, Partner's also added a 100,000 sq. ft state of the art packing facility.
2018
The new packing facility houses an imported fully stainless steel packing line with equipment from Wyma, Elisam, Ellips and Volm. The new capacity of the shed is designed for over 8 tons an hour!
2018
Expansion is completed and now has top + tailing capabilities, new optical sorting of diced and strip products, the latest blanching technology and a second tunnel freezer! The IQF line is fully automated with robotic arm capabilities and metal detection!
2020
COVID-19 strikes the U.S. and causes Partner's Produce to slow down production to roughly about 10% of the usual.
2023
Today, we're thankful for the path we've walked, and are excited for the roads that lie ahead! Thank you to our valued customers for being a part of our story and for inspiring us to reach new heights.
