Winchester Dried Fruit

Summary

Business	Dried Fruit Packer
Main Location	San Jose
Active	1936-1940

Dried fruit packer which appeared in San Jose in the mid-1930's. 1936: The principals were Bert Kirk, Jr., and Antonio Teresi, both from orchard families in the Santa Clara Valley. Kirk's family owned much of the orchard land south of Dry Creek Road around modern-day Meridian Ave. Teresi's family owned the Sorosis Fruit Ranch in Saratoga. Antonio also owned another 10 acres on the Santa Clara - Los Gatos road. Teresi wasn't just an orchardist; he'd also gone to business school.

1930's city directories showed them moving around, first in packing houses off Sunol Street (and possibly including the former Hamlin Packing building), and eventually settling on Ryland St.

A September 10, 1938 San Jose Evening News article notes that Winchester Dried Fruit moved from Sunol Street at Lincoln Ave. to Campbell in order to have more storage space. Bert Kirk, as manager, declares that 90% of their fruit was going abroad because of the poor domestic market. Antonio Teresi is president, Harry Mitchell Superintendent, and Ed Trojan, office manager.

Locations

Location	Years	Address	Details
Campbell	1938	?
San Jose	1936	1013 Sunol Street
San Jose	1938	631 Sunol Street
San Jose	1940	200 Ryland Street

Details

Sorosis Fruit Ranch was 220 acres, packing plant, water.

In 1936, their only address was on Sunol Street - possibly the Mayfair plant.

1938: Bert Kirk Jr., manager, Antonio Teresi President, Harry Mitchell Superintendent, Ed Trojan office manager. 90% of stuff going abroad because of poor domestic market.

On Warehouseman's Union lawsuit in 1940.

There were several complaints and lawsuits from 1938-1940 concerning California's Agricultural Prorate Commission.

The May 31, 1939 San Jose Evening News noted complaints that Winchester Dried Fruit was not following the "prune prorate" rules, and was dealing in prunes without obtaining "secondary certificates from the [prune prorate] commission." April 8, 1940 San Jose Evening News report complaint against Winchester Dried Fruit going forward because they were handling fruit without inspections and certificates, and weren't following the "prorate procedure". The prorate commission was taking more detailed control of the industry, probably in order to keep prices high. One of their rulings was that converting surplus prunes to alcohol and brandy was illegal. The commission was disregarding other laws, such as the state agricultural code banning growers from allowing fruit to drop and go to waste without the order of an agricultural authority.

A May 25, 1939 San Jose Evening News article gives more details about the prune prorate commission. According to the article, 25% of surplus fruit needed to be handed over to the commission, and Winchester was 150,000 tons behind in deliveries to the commission. Kirk complained that he had to ship the fruit in order to complete contracts when Hollister growers refused to deliver fruit. The Hollister growers hesitated because the prorate commission inspectors were only inspecting fruit at the packing house, and if so, they would have to pay to truck the fruit back to Hollister for re-sorting and re-submission. Kirk also charged that the inspectors were rejecting fruit which would pass inspection when delivered to other packers.

The August 6, 1940 San Jose Evening News reported that the company's license was suspended "over claims of growers against the concern."

Campbell: Sept 10, 1938 news article in San Jose News said that moving to new modern plant IIRC.