Jasmine Vineyards Welcomes Leonardo “Leo” Chavez as Cold Storage Manager, Strengthening Its Table Grape Team

BAKERSFIELD, CA - I truly do believe that the strength of a team is reflected in the fruit on the table. It is that passion, drive, and commitment that give a team the strength to withstand each early morning, weather event, and market dynamic. By the time the fruit reaches the produce department, it has been loved and cared for in myriad intentional and thoughtful ways.

Jasmine Vineyards understands this and is growing its abundant team this year with the addition of Leonardo Enrique Chavez—Leo to his colleagues, friends, and family. The company welcomes Leo as the operation’s new Cold Storage Manager.

“I’m very excited to join Jasmine Vineyards and support its legacy in the table grape industry,” Leo begins. “I hope to contribute by giving a different perspective and another point of view for problem-solving in the ever-changing landscape of the California and international business climates that focus on table grapes. If we cannot put the best product in the box, we will never be able to receive the best prices for our products.”

As curiosity always wins, I ask Leo what brought him to the category. He starts with a moment in time that posed a crossroads—one he welcomed with sound advice.

“I originally came to table grapes when I first got out of service,” Leo says. “I was offered jobs in agriculture and in the oil industry. Talking with my grandmother, she made an excellent point: oil is boom or bust, so it’s always going to be variable. Agriculture is always consistent—people always have to eat.”

And so, Leo went into ag.

That crossroads was also paired with an important milestone; Leo had gotten his third of four children into college at Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

“I felt that, with three in college, I needed to focus on myself now and the betterment of my own personal growth,” Leo reflects. “I had gotten to know Jon Zaninovich and his cousin, Damian, for a few years already. We all got along great and, with similar mindsets and personalities, the fit felt right.”

Then Jon took Leo out to the facilities to meet the people. The pride of workmanship, how the people truly cared about doing right by the company and for the company—it all blew Leo away.

“That is something you don’t really see much of in California or in younger generations nowadays, but you actually do see that with some of the youngsters out here, which is a testament to the people here and to the values of this company,” Leo describes.

We can all only hope to find a career where our personal and professional lives find deep congruence.

And in the end, it is that shared pride—from field to facility—that ensures the fruit on the table tells the story of the team behind it.