Braga Ranch History

In 1928, an industrious young Swiss immigrant named Sebastian Braga arrived in South Monterey County, California and began growing row crops in the Salinas Valley.

In 1937, Sebastian bought a ranch of his own in Soledad, where he settled his family and built a homestead. He raised dairy cattle, and grew sugar beets, tomatoes, onions, hay and corn on those first 600 acres.

The ranch grew under his management, and so did the Braga clan. Sebastian was a dedicated family man who believed that success would come through honesty and integrity. He lived by these values, and instilled the same high quality standards and hard-working ethics in his sons Ernest, Norman and Stanley.

In the 1960s, after growing up working the Braga land, the three sons officially joined the business. Along with other innovations, they changed the dairy to a beef cattle operation and began growing lettuce, celery, and cauliflower.

Braga Ranch expanded its agricultural operations through careful planning and wise management, and by the 1990’s the company was recognized as an established industry leader.

Keeping the Braga standards and principles at the forefront, the third generation joined the business. Rodney, Chris, Carson and Marshall Braga have remained true to their family’s core values, and have led the company and the fresh produce industry in food safety, quality, and sustainable farming.

Now, Braga Ranch is a fully integrated company mixing innovation with tradition to grow and ship fresh vegetables throughout the world.