J. Marchini Farms mourns founder
J. Marchini Farms mourns founder
Joe (Giuseppe) Marchini, who founded California-based J. Marchini Farms specializing in radicchio and Italian specialties, died Dec. 28 surrounded by family. He was 84.
Mr. Marchini’s farming career may have ended with radicchio, but it all began with tomatoes. His parents, Florindo and Elisa Marchini, made a long and uncertain journey from Lucca, Italy, in the 1920s. They settled in Le Grand, CA, where he met Carlo Giampaoli and founded the Giampaoli-Marchini Co., a grower-shipper of the Live Oak Brand of tomatoes.
As a boy, Mr. Marchini enjoyed being outside and watching his father farm, so it was practical for him to grow an 11-acre crop of tomatoes at age 13. In the 1960s, Mr. Marchini was offered his father’s shares of ownership in the Giampaoli – Marchini operation and started farming on his own and expanded to farming Bell peppers, onions and almonds in the 70s and 80s.
Mr. Marchini’s passion for the Italian culture and fluency in the language allowed him to make connections with Italian growers, learning radicchio seed variety suggestions and growing techniques. In the 1980s, Mr. Marchini grew his first successful radicchio crop and actually drove radicchio loads to San Francisco himself to increase the market’s awareness. From then on, Joe’s Premium brand was known as “The original radicchio grower of the United States.”
The 1990s and early 2000s were about consistency. The father-and-son duo of Joe and Jeff of J. Marchini Farms concentrated on perfecting the radicchio operation to ensure a year-round supply to the U.S. market. Marketing came naturally to Mr. Marchini as he is the man on the Joe’s Premium logo.
Mr. Marchini was adored by chefs along with local and international produce buyers throughout the decades. As the radicchio operations continued to grow, Mr. Marchini was proud to see his son and grandchildren working by his side.
In 2012, Mr. Marchini was diagnosed with cancer and the odds were tough, but his resilience, faith and family gave him strength.
“We are devastated but the light still shines as Joe left an impression on everyone that met him, we are so fortunate to hear people speak about Joe,” the Marchini family said in a statement.
Mr. Marchini’s life was filled with family, farming, his faith and of course a lot of fun along the way. His legacy will live on through J. Marchini Farms and his family will continue to make him proud. Mr. Marchini leaves behind his adorning wife; Julie, his children, Lisa (Adam), Jeff (Stephanie) and Fania (Robert)' along with his 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren with another on the way.
