May/June 2025

From orchards to opportunity: Building Maisie Jane’s from the ground up

By Keith Loria

Coming from a fourth-generation almond-growing family — originally Bernagna Orchards — Maisie Jane Hurtado has always had farming in her blood.

“From driving the sweeper to helping in the shop and office, I quickly fell in love with the agriculture industry,” Hurtado said. “My family always had me and my three siblings involved in many projects, from 4-H to FFA.”

One day, she overheard some of her family members complaining about how the family’s fresh almonds couldn’t be found in grocery stores and wondering why most of the crop was being exported.

“This inspired me to start my own company, which was my SOE (student occupational experience) project in high school,” Hurtado said.

Today, she and her husband, Isidro, continue to farm almonds in Chico, California, and bring their crop straight to the consumer under the Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products brand.

Humble beginnings

At just 17 years old, Hurtado started her business using startup capital earned from selling a flock of registered Suffolk sheep.

“The business has grown tremendously since then,” she said. “What began as a one-woman operation allowed me to learn every aspect firsthand — manufacturing in certified kitchens during off-hours, bookkeeping, selling, designing and marketing. Over the years, I’ve expanded from selling exclusively at farmers’ markets and local retailers to serving customers nationwide, exporting products and establishing a brick-and-mortar gift shop alongside our online store.”

Hurtado has driven growth by developing new sales channels, including an in-house distributor program, and offering value-added products in bulk to other food manufacturers.

“Embracing market trends and staying open to new opportunities while maintaining our core mission and company values have been essential for building consumer trust,” Hurtado said. “Partnering with my husband, who brings expertise in manufacturing, has also been instrumental, enabling us to improve equipment efficiency and develop innovative manufacturing methods.

Today, our team has grown to over 30 employees, reflecting how far we’ve come from those early days.”

Sustainable at the core

Hurtado has always had a passion for sustainable farming and believes that farmers must balance high production demands with economic feasibility and minimal environmental impact.

“We all want alive and fertile soils for our future generations,” she said. “Bridging the gap between consumer and farmers has always been at the forefront of our efforts. Over the years, we’ve launched many campaigns and on-farm initiatives with that goal.”

For example, Maisie Jane’s has partnered with UC Davis’ Department of Entomology to gather research on native bees in their orchards and planted wildflowers at the orchard’s edges.

“Also, simple actions like leaving a half row of natural grasses — or better yet, a cover crop — can support native bee populations as well as soil health,” Hurtado said. “We’ve generated more than $80,000 on a Save the Bees campaign with proceeds from focused products going to bee research. It’s exciting and an opportunity for farmers to be on the forefront of sustainability.”

Diversifying the business

The company now offers much more than almonds, including nut butters, honey and curated gift baskets.

“I like to explore new products based on consumer demand,” Hurtado said. “If there is a niche almond-related product opportunity, we like to chase that.”

About 20 years ago, an international company approached Hurtado about the possibility of creating almond gift packs for its clients. She said yes without hesitation.

“It was successful and well-liked, and I’ve enjoyed creating gift baskets ever since,” Hurtado said. “It’s also been an enjoyable part of the business that I’ve shared with my mom and late aunt. Being part of the gift industry has created a mini business within our main business. Holiday sales at Christmas time are a beast of their own. It truly takes a year of advance planning, but the sales justify the efforts.”

Planting the future

The farm recently planted 1,600 new almond trees, a move that aligns with the company’s vertically integrated business model.

“Controlling everything from the farms all the way to the finished product certainly isn’t the easiest way of doing business, but it’s my passion,” Hurtado said. “It’s so exciting to wake up with almond trees in view and experience the day-to-day cycle of the orchards — that connection helps me relate to my buyers and gives me better insight into the industry.”

The company balances growth with environmental responsibility by staying current with research — much of which echoes farming practices from 50 years ago, such as using cover crops to improve soil health.

“Returning to these traditional methods helps promote sustainable soil management,” Hurtado said. “Water conservation is also a priority. Advances like targeted irrigation direct water right to plant roots, allowing us to save 22% of our water. I look forward to ongoing improvements in sustainable and organic farming practices to help us reduce costs and minimize our environmental impact.”

A legacy in the making

Maisie Jane and Isidro have always involved their daughters — Isabela, Natalia and Lilia — in both farming and business operations, whether helping in the orchard, managing their own side corn business or helping at events and in the gift shop.

“We’ve never said they have to take over the business, but when our oldest daughter started writing in her college essays that her goal was to take over the family business, I was very happy,” Hurtado said. “She is now finishing up her freshman year at Oregon State studying ag food processing and will be getting her degree in the ag science program. We plan to have her work in every department over the summers so she can truly get a sense of the whole picture.”

Their other two daughters are still in high school and have different interests, and Hurtado said she wants them to pursue their passions and be happy, even if that means not continuing in the family business. However, if they choose to, she has assured them that there’s opportunity for all three of them.

Thanks to the company’s solid foundation and her eye toward the future, Hurtado is optimistic.

“Recently, new market opportunities have emerged that I wouldn’t have expected 10 years ago. They’re still in development, but they’re very exciting and could lead to significant growth,” she said. “To succeed as an entrepreneur in agriculture, you have to stay adaptable and open-minded. Trends and opportunities can arise unexpectedly, and you never know what might become the next bestseller.”