[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 36 (Monday, March 8, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E360]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    A TRIBUTE TO WAWONA FROZEN FOODS

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                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 8, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Wawona 
Frozen Foods, recipient of the 1998 Baker, Peterson & Franklin Ag 
Business Award.
  Wawona Frozen Foods is an organization whose achievements and impacts 
have significantly contributed to the Ag industry and the Central 
Valley. The Baker, Peterson & Franklin Ag Business Award honors a 
service or product-related agribusiness or farming entity, with 
headquarters in the central San Joaquin Valley. The Award recipient is 
selected by a committee representing the AgFRESNO Advisory Board, 
National Ag Marketing Association and the Agriculture department at 
Baker, Peterson & Franklin.
  Wawona Frozen Foods grows and processes California freestone peaches 
and strawberries into fresh frozen fruit products and baked fruit 
pastries. From a modest beginning 35 years ago, with 60 part-time 
employees the company has grown to 150 full-time and 1,200 seasonal 
processing facility to three state-of-the-art facilities. Annual 
revenue has grown 40 fold, now exceeding $40 million annually. 
Beginning as a supplier to solely food manufacturers, Wawona has grown 
their sales in other markets including food service distributors, 
restaurant chains, retail and warehouse stores, school food service and 
the USDA school lunch program.
  Wawona Frozen Foods is America's largest processor of California 
freestone peaches, shipping over 65 million pounds of the 110 million 
pound industry-wide crop of 80% of the entire national frozen 
production. The growth in sales of frozen peaches has a vital and 
positive impact on the entire freestone peach industry and makes the 
total peach marketing program more stable while contributing to the 
potential of higher prices for fresh market peaches.
  Wawona Frozen Foods is an exceptional corporate citizen. Its officers 
and employees participate in and financially support many community 
activities. Wawona is involved with the Clovis Unified School 
Foundation, Valley Children's Hospital, St. Agnes Hospital, Valley Teen 
Ranch and the National Hispanics Scholarship Fund, just to name a few. 
All of the Wawona principals are graduates of California State 
University, Fresno, and major grants have been given to the CSUF Ag and 
Food Science Departments as a commitment of their support. The company 
has also been a leader in state and national organizations such as the 
California Tree Fruit Association, National Restaurant Association and 
the American Frozen Foods Institute, of which Wawona's CEO is president 
emeritus on the board of directors.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Wawona Frozen Foods as the 
recipient of the Baker, Peterson & Franklin Ag Business Award. The 
Central Valley can be proud of the fine work done by this outstanding 
local company. I invite all of my colleagues to join me in wishing 
Wawona Frozen Foods many years of continued success.

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