Page 8 - Volume 15 Number 5

“This aircraft represents that we’re 93 years strong, and we’re moving forward.”
- Dio Stefanopoulos, Stamoules Produce Company
and growth to nearly 17,000 acres in production. They produce more than 14 million boxes of produce per year, shipping to wholesalers throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. While you won’t see the brand name, you might purchase Stamoules-grown cantaloupe, honeydew melon, sweet corn or pistachios at a local grocery store, as part of a meal kit or it might be part of your meal at a local restaurant.
With the help of their parents, the third generation is guiding Stamoules Produce into a focus on growing pistachios for their newly developed brand – OPA Pistachios.
Adding a business tool
Developing that part of the business was a big reason the family decided it was time to invest in another business tool.
“You know it’s time to get a plane when you want to expand your business into areas where ›
Stefanopoulos, Spero Stefanopou- los and Elena Stefanopoulos.
Starting in the 1960s, the farm expanded into other fruits and vegetables – honeydews, mini watermelons, bell peppers, sweet corn and pistachios, to name a few – and they became more self- reliant. That includes employing the crews who weed and harvest versus contracting for that work to owning their own equipment and machinery and operating a large maintenance shop. They’ve designed
much of their harvest equipment and employees manufacture it on- site. They also drill their own wells and install pipeline to make sure the crops are irrigated during droughts.
Adopting field packing has streamlined their process and they’ve also invested in technology and facilities that allows each crop to be pre-cooled, cooled and then shipped in a refrigerated truck within a 24-hour period.
Efficiency and quality has been the key to Stamoules’ longevity
6 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
JUNE 2021