Industry leader in size and innovation.

At Morning Star, we consistently strive to improve quality, increase efficiency, expand our operations, and create sustainable pricing through new and innovative technology, economies of scale, and vertical integration. Morning Star supplies around 10% of the world’s ingredient tomato products, and has an average tomato paste production capacity that is three times that of the balance of the California industry. Our high level of innovation in vertically integrated operations allows us to identify and control costs, and pass these benefits on to our customers.

Leaders in the California Industry

Even our smallest facility is larger than the next largest California facility. Our scale, vertical integration, and state-of-the-art facilities, allow for reliable production at a high level, year after year.

Los Banos, California (South)

Built in 1990

Processing capacity – 31% equivalent tomato paste:

665 tons/hour
218,017 pounds/hour
Annual potential production of paste approximately 450 mil pounds

Williams, California (North)

Built in 1995

Processing capacity – 31% equivalent tomato paste:

1,348 tons/hour
441,859 pounds/hour
Annual potential production of paste approximately 800 mil pounds

Santa Nella, California (South)

Purchased and rebuilt in 2002

Processing capacity – *31% equivalent tomato paste:

1,319 tons/hour
- Conventional: 770 paste | 112 diced
- Conventional: 100 other
- Organic: 200 paste | 120 diced
328,257 pounds/hour
Annual potential production:
- Paste approximately 775 mil pounds
- Diced approximately 540 mil pounds

Traditional finish terminology is unreliable.

Morning Star finishes are classified by visual method vs. screen size.

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A history of innovation.

Our founder was the first to build a tomato paste factory exclusively producing and selling ingredient tomato paste, bringing about major innovations in quality and efficiency.

High Yield Harvesting

More sorting takes place in the factories as opposed to the fields providing higher yields for our growers.

Leveraging Gravity

Gravity fed unloading hill and flume systems use minimal to no electricity and decrease breakdowns.

Settling Ponds

More sorting takes place in the factories as opposed to the fields providing higher yields for our growers.

Single Product Line

In order to ensure consistency in the products we produce, we blend early in the process and finish with one line.

300 Gallon Bag-in-Box

First in the industry to supply the 300-gallon bag-in-box to the marketplace.

Cooling Ponds

Water used by the evaporators is cooled naturally in large ponds, displacing energy intensive cooling towers, then pumped back into the evaporator.

In addition, Morning Star has led the industry in use of:

Aseptic Bag Fitments

Successfully integrated the high capacity 3 inch 300-gallon aseptic bag fitment.

High Capacity Hot Breaks

Incorporated minimal moving parts per ton of processing.

High Capacity Evaporators and Flash Coolers

Minimal valving and moving parts per ton of processing.

Positive Displacement Pumps

Instigated and proofed the Waukasha 400 and 500 series aseptic positive displacement product pumps.

Low NOX Boiler Burners

First in industry to install and prove the very low NOX boiler burners.