Rosenberg Brothers
| Business Details | |
|---|---|
| Primary Town | San Francisco, CA |
| Primary Business | Dried Fruit Packer |
| Dates | 1893-1947 |
Summary
Major California-based dried fruit packer. Rosenberg had outposts in the Santa Clara Valley, Oregon, the Sacramento Valley, and San Joaquin Valley. Rosenberg Brothers started in 1893, was bought by a major grocery wholesaler in 1947, and finally went out of business in 1957.
The "Sunsweet Story" refers to them as "the most successful of the speculative packers", commenting on their business model of buying fruit and hoping it would sell for more when actually sold.
Locations
| Location | Years | Address | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edenvale | 1922 | ??? | |
| Fresno | None | ??? | |
| Medford | None | ??? | |
| San Francisco | 1906 | 211-213 California Street | |
| San Francisco | 1912 | 153 California Street | |
| San Jose | 1906 | Ryland Street near San Pedro St. | |
| San Jose | 1907, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1915 | Sunol Street at Auzerais St. | |
| Santa Clara | 1917, 1927 | Railroad Avenue | |
| Talent, Oregon | None | ??? | |
| Yuba City | 1903 | ??? |
Photos
Details
Formed in 1893 to pack and ship dried fruit from California. Packinghouses throughout California and Oregon. Last of three brothers died in 1931. (Max, Abraham, and Adolph Rosenberg)
San Francisco based.
Fire on morning of November 10, 1906 burned packing house on Ryland at San Pedro. George Hyde was the manager. Night watchman was safe, as he'd been at home sick for several nights. ( San Jose Evening News, November 10, 1906 Rosenberg is described as "headquartered in San Francisco with branches in all the leading fruit sections." Several thousand tons of prunes - 50 freight cars worth - burned. "Los Angeles Herald from November 11":http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&cl=search&d=LAH19061111.2.4&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-IN-%22rosenberg+brothers%22+fire----#
notes that 11 full cars burned, two warehouses. Fire encouraged by 5000 gallons of crude oil.
1911 ad in California Fruit News shows they packed dried fruit and raisins.
Manager in 1915 was H.M. Barngrover.
Fire on August 7, 1915 burned the Sunol Street plant according to the August 7, 1915 San Jose Evening News . It had been located in the Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange building, a large brick building with multiple firewalls. Rosenberg was leasing; lost "many dried apricots and some prunes". Loss to the firm at $300,000. Fire started in pile of apricot pits near the tracks. 5000 gallons of fuel oil still burning in the tank at noon the next day. Fire was blamed on IWW, supposedly threats had been made.
Bought [H.E. Losse and Company] in 1917.
1921: Lawsuit over farmer who did not deliver contracted prunes in "March 26, 1921 Pacific Rural Press":http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&cl=search&d=PRP19210326.2.23&srpos=3&e=-------en--20--1--txt-IN-rosenberg+cannery----#
Primarily canners according to Don Abinante.
Run by Arthur C. Oppenheimer for many years, died 1950. (Sunsweet Story) Referred to in Sunsweet book as "the most successful of the speculative packers" in the late 1920's. I assume the speculative part meant that they were working outside the [California Prune and Apricot Growers]. Tended to have growers in each area that would sell to them each year, and tended to be against the association.
Bought by Consolidated Grocers Corp., Chicago in December 1947 - Sunsweet Story describes it as "major postwar change in independent packer ownership"
New York Times May 25, 1951 notes that Rosenberg stayed as a separate company but a subsidiary, while USP became part of the canning arm and lost its independent name.
Went out of business in 1957; [Mayfair Packing] bought the dried fruit and walnut operations, Bonner Packing bought raisins, Trico bought almonds. Company had been dying ever since acquired.
Cannery in San Jose burned on August 26, 1915 by IWW supporter, according to "October 2, 1915 Sausalito NEws":http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&cl=search&d=SN19151002.2.22&srpos=3&e=-------en--20--1--txt-IN-%22rosenberg+brothers%22+%22san+jose%22----#
Rosenberg Foundation history:http://www.rosenbergfound.org/about/history
Notes from Losse biography: http://www.mariposaresearch.net/santaclararesearch/SCBIOS/alosse.html
Edenvale depot according to Santa Clara County history , one mile away from [Richmond Chase] facility (at station?)
Medford: Spur historically named after Rosenberg Brothers on topoquest.com 211 California Street burned in the earthquake. "January 1907 San Francisco Call ":http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&cl=search&d=SFC19070110.2.138&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-IN-%22rosenberg+brothers%22+fire----#
notes lawsuit over destruction of the building.
Sunol St: (Former Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange.) Orrin Harlan manager in 1908. NW corner listed in 1908. Lumberyard was across Sunol Street, Standard Oil across the railroad tracks according to 1915 fire news article in the August 7, 1915 San Jose Evening News . H.M. Barngrover the manager in 1915.
Photo from
OSU Special Collections Yuba City Seen mentioned in San Francisco Call help wanted ad, July 3 1903. Photo from U.C. Libraries