The Morning Star Company
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food products |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | Chris J. Rufer |
| Headquarters | Woodland, California |
Key people | Chris J. Rufer |
| Website | morningstarco.com |
The Morning Star Company is an American agribusiness and food processing company founded in 1970.[1] The company was originally founded as a trucking outfit[2] by Chris Rufer, who remains the sole owner.[3]
Morning Star produces about 25% of the commercially grown tomatoes in America.[4] It processes about 5 million tons of tomatoes each year.[5] It has approximately 550 full-time employees and over 2,500 seasonal workers during harvest season. The company's revenue exceeds $1 billion per year.[6]
The company uses a flat organization structure, with no supervisory management.[7][8] Compensation is based on peer evaluations.[9][10] Rufer has made large donations to libertarian political candidates, backing Libertarian Party presidential nominee Gary Johnson in 2016 and donating over $250,000 to independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in 2024.[11][12]
In 2013, Morning Star was listed as one of INC Magazine's Audacious Companies.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ "Morning Star Co/The - Company Profile and News". Bloomberg News.
- ^ Staff, Praxis (June 9, 2015). "The Morning Star Company: A Praxis Business Partner". Praxis. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ "Morning Star's Success Story: No Bosses, No Titles, No Structural Hierarchy". Corporate Rebels. November 14, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ Allen, Arthur (March 19, 2010). "Rotten Tomatoes". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ "Morning Star". Tomato News.
- ^ Hamel, Gary (December 2011). "First, Let's Fire All the Managers". Harvard Business Review. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
- ^ "The Morning Star Company: Self-Management at Work - Case - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School". www.hbs.edu. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ Mohan, Geoffrey (March 15, 2016). "Tomato plant owner in $1.5-million battle with water regulators over waste and odors". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
- ^ Gino, Francesca; Staats, Bradley R.; Hall, Brian J.; Chang, Tiffany Y. (June 2016) [September 2013]. "The Morning Star Company: Self-Management at Work". Harvard Business School Case 914-013. Revised.
- ^ Morgan, Jacob. "How Morning Star Farms Operates Without Any Managers". Forbes. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Presidential Candidates' Top Contributors as of May 2024". USA Today. Gannett. May 20, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
- ^ "The groups backing RFK Jr. are running low on cash". POLITICO. April 24, 2026. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
- ^ Buchanan, Leigh (April 18, 2013). "One Company's Audacious Org Chart: 400 Leaders, 0 Bosses". Inc.com. Retrieved October 7, 2020.