Stewart Resnick | $1B+
Get in touch with Stewart Resnick | Stewart Resnick is the chairman and co-owner of The Wonderful Company, a multi-billion dollar conglomerate behind brands like Fiji Water, POM Wonderful, and Wonderful Pistachios. As one of the largest landowners in the United States, he oversees a massive agricultural empire in California. Resnick is a major philanthropist, notably pledging $750 million to Caltech for climate change research—one of the largest gifts of its kind. His leadership is defined by a strategy of vertical integration and aggressive marketing, transforming niche produce into global household names while navigating the complexities of water rights and sustainable farming in the 21st century.
Stewart Resnick (born December 24, 1936) is an American billionaire businessman who co-founded, chairs, and serves as president of The Wonderful Company, a privately held conglomerate he owns with his wife, Lynda Resnick.[1][2] The company, headquartered in Los Angeles with major operations in California's Central Valley, is the world's leading grower of tree nuts—including pistachios and almonds—and America's largest citrus producer, while also operating the nation's top flower delivery service and marketing brands such as POM Wonderful pomegranate juice, Fiji Water, Halos mandarin oranges, and Wonderful Pistachios, with products reaching nearly half of U.S. households annually.[1][2] Resnick and his wife hold a combined net worth of $10.8 billion, positioning him as the wealthiest farmer in the United States, with holdings stemming from an initial 1978 farmland purchase as an inflation hedge that expanded into vast agricultural assets, including a majority stake in the Kern Water Bank, a key underground aquifer storage facility.[2] Their operations have attracted controversy over water-intensive farming amid California's chronic droughts, though allegations of monopolizing the state's water supply have been refuted by fact-checks emphasizing regulated allocations rather than hoarding.[2][3][4] In philanthropy, the Resnicks have directed over $2.5 billion toward education, health, community development, and sustainability initiatives, including $750 million to Caltech in 2019 and endowments supporting research centers.[1]
Early Life and Education
Family Background and Upbringing
Stewart Resnick was born on December 24, 1936, in Highland Park, New Jersey, to a Jewish family of Ukrainian immigrant descent.[5][6] His grandfather had emigrated from Ukraine, establishing roots in a middle-class household.[6] Resnick's father owned a bar in Highland Park and had earlier worked as a raisin grower after being born near Fresno, California.[7][8]
Resnick grew up in New Jersey suburbs during the economic challenges of the Great Depression's aftermath, with the family initially tied to a small farm that was not actively farmed due to recession conditions.[9] His father's gambling led to significant financial losses, prompting the family to relocate to California in 1956.[8][10] Resnick has recalled feeling relatively disadvantaged among peers from more affluent Jewish families in the area, where his father's bar ownership and gambling habits shaped a modest upbringing.[7]
The move west marked a pivotal shift, as the family sought a fresh start amid the father's drinking and gambling issues, which Resnick later attributed to their decision to leave New Jersey.[5][11] This background of immigrant heritage, entrepreneurial but unstable parental ventures, and economic precarity influenced Resnick's early exposure to self-reliance before his transition to higher education in California.[10]
Academic Achievements
Resnick began his undergraduate studies at Rutgers University before transferring to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration in 1959.[9][12] He subsequently attended UCLA School of Law, obtaining a Juris Doctor degree.[12][13]
During law school, Resnick demonstrated entrepreneurial initiative by founding a janitorial service called Clean Time Building Maintenance, which involved waxing floors and cleaning carpets; this venture generated his first million dollars in revenue.[8][14] Later in his career, he received honorary recognition for his contributions, including a Doctor of Science degree from California State University, Fresno.[15]
Business Career
Early Entrepreneurial Ventures
Resnick founded his first business, White Glove Building Maintenance, a janitorial services company, while attending the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in the late 1950s.[16] Starting with a single floor-waxing machine purchased using savings from a job at a mental hospital, he initially cleaned local businesses such as pizza parlors and drugstores after school and on weekends.[17] The venture expanded rapidly as demand grew; Resnick acquired trucks, hired crews, and scaled operations to serve commercial clients across Los Angeles, employing up to 1,000 workers by the late 1960s.[18]
In 1969, Resnick sold White Glove for $2.5 million, providing capital for subsequent investments.[19] He then entered the security industry by establishing American Protection Industries (API), focusing on burglar alarm installations and monitoring services.[20] By the 1970s, API had captured approximately half of Los Angeles's commercial alarm market, generating an estimated $100 million in annual revenue and positioning Resnick as a key player in private security.[8]
In 1979, Resnick and his wife, Lynda Resnick, made their first joint acquisition by purchasing Teleflora, a national floral wire service, alongside API Alarm Systems, which became subsidiaries under API as the holding company.[16] Lynda Resnick transitioned from her advertising agency role to serve as executive vice president of Teleflora, leveraging her marketing expertise to revitalize the business amid competition from direct retail florists.[20] These early ventures demonstrated Resnick's pattern of identifying undervalued service-oriented opportunities, scaling through operational efficiency, and exiting or acquiring to build a diversified portfolio. By the mid-1980s, API had grown into the largest burglar alarm installer in the United States.[21]
Expansion into Agriculture and Consumer Goods
In 1979, Stewart and Lynda Resnick acquired Teleflora, a floral delivery wire service, marking their initial foray into consumer goods distribution and leveraging Lynda's marketing expertise to expand its national reach.[22] This purchase was funded in part by proceeds from Stewart's earlier sale of a janitorial services business for $2.5 million.[19] In 1981, they expanded into agriculture by acquiring the Paramount Citrus Association, which included 1,000 acres of citrus groves, positioning the venture as a hedge against inflation amid economic uncertainty.[22][9]
The Resnicks further diversified consumer goods in 1984 by purchasing the Franklin Mint, a producer of collectibles such as coins, medals, and figurines, for $167.5 million from Warner Communications, transforming it into a direct-to-consumer operation emphasizing limited-edition items.[23][8] By 1985, they integrated additional agricultural subsidiaries under Roll International (later rebranded as The Wonderful Company), including expansions in citrus and the formation of Paramount Farming for broader crop production.[23] In 1989, they established Paramount Farms specifically to cultivate pistachios and almonds in California's San Joaquin Valley, acquiring thousands of acres from oil companies like Mobil and Texaco to capitalize on emerging export demand for nuts.[5]
Agricultural holdings grew rapidly, reaching approximately 120,000 acres by the early 2000s, focused on high-value permanent crops including almonds, pistachios, pomegranates, and citrus, which accounted for the company's shift toward vertically integrated operations from farming to processing.[8] This expansion enabled the development of branded consumer products, such as POM Wonderful pomegranate juice launched around 2002 from their pomegranate orchards, and Wonderful Pistachios, emphasizing health benefits and direct marketing to consumers.[24] In 2004, they acquired Fiji Water for an undisclosed sum, adding a premium bottled water brand to their portfolio and enhancing consumer goods revenue through international distribution.[25] These moves culminated in a "soil-to-shelf" model, where agricultural output directly fed proprietary brands, generating billions in annual sales by prioritizing crop efficiency and consumer-facing innovation over traditional commodity sales.[26]
Leadership of The Wonderful Company
Stewart Resnick serves as chairman, president, and co-owner of The Wonderful Company, a position he shares with his wife, Lynda Resnick.[1] In this capacity, he oversees critical functions including finance, legal affairs, real estate, corporate strategy, human resources, and business development.[15] The privately held company, valued at $6 billion in annual revenue as of 2024, operates with vertical integration across agriculture, processing, and consumer branding.[27][22]
Under Resnick's leadership, the enterprise—previously Roll Global—rebranded to The Wonderful Company on June 1, 2015, to emphasize its focus on delivering "wonderful" products that promote health and well-being while fostering community improvements.[28] Key milestones include the 1979 acquisition of Teleflora, the world's largest flower delivery service at the time; the 1981 purchase of Paramount Citrus Association; the 2002 launch of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice; the 2005 relaunch of FIJI Water; the 2008 introduction of Wonderful Pistachios; and the 2013 debut of Wonderful Halos mandarin oranges.[22] These initiatives transformed the company into the global leader in tree nut production and the largest citrus grower in the United States, serving nearly half of American households annually.[1][9]
Resnick's business strategy prioritizes nutrient-rich products, sustainable farming practices, and marketing investments in categories with dominant market positions, such as pistachios where the company commands 60% of the U.S. share.[22][14][9] This approach has driven expansion in California's Central Valley and beyond, with an emphasis on employee welfare and regional investment, earning accolades including the top spot on PEOPLE's 2025 Companies That Care list.[29] His philosophy underscores a responsibility to enhance communities, stating that the company aims to leave areas "better than we found them."[1]
Key Business Holdings
Floral and Collectibles Businesses
In 1979, Stewart Resnick and his wife Lynda acquired Teleflora, a floral wire service facilitating flower deliveries through a network of independent florists.[22][16] Under their ownership via Roll International (later rebranded as The Wonderful Company), Teleflora expanded its operations, growing to serve customers in 20 countries with approximately 3,000 employees by the early 21st century.[30] Lynda Resnick introduced innovative collectible vases and containers designed to accompany floral arrangements, enhancing the product's appeal as a "flowers in a gift" concept and differentiating Teleflora from competitors.[30] The company remains a core holding of The Wonderful Company, emphasizing branded floral gifting tied to holidays and occasions.[1]
Resnick's portfolio also included the Franklin Mint, a producer of collectibles such as commemorative coins, die-cast models, jewelry, and dolls, acquired by Roll International in 1986.[31] The Franklin Mint, based in Pennsylvania, focused on limited-edition items marketed directly to consumers through catalogs and subscriptions, generating revenue from premium pricing on themed replicas and memorabilia.[32] During Resnick's tenure, the company leveraged celebrity and historical endorsements, including promotions involving rare pearls and Star Trek-themed models, to build collector loyalty.[33] However, facing market shifts and legal challenges related to collectibles' investment value, the Resnicks sold the Franklin Mint to a group of investors in October 2006.[34][35]
These ventures marked early diversification for the Resnicks beyond agriculture, blending consumer marketing with niche distribution channels, though the collectibles segment proved less enduring than floral services.[16]
Nut and Fruit Farming Operations
The Wonderful Company's nut farming operations center on pistachios and almonds, establishing it as the world's leading grower of tree nuts. Through Wonderful Orchards, the company manages over 100,000 planted acres in California's San Joaquin Valley, focusing on high-yield cultivation and processing.[36] These operations emphasize vertical integration, encompassing planting, irrigation, harvesting, and shelling to supply brands like Wonderful Pistachios and Wonderful Almonds.[22]
Pistachio production involves extensive orchards, with Wonderful Orchards spanning approximately 60,000 acres that yield 20% to 40% more nuts per tree than industry averages through advanced agronomic practices.[37] In partnership with growers, the company oversees 250,000 acres collectively, producing over 650 million pounds of pistachios annually, representing a substantial share of California's output, which accounts for nearly all U.S. production.[38] Almond operations similarly prioritize scale, contributing to the company's dominance in global tree nut markets amid rising demand.[39]
In fruit farming, Wonderful Citrus operates as America's largest citrus grower, cultivating over 74,000 acres of groves primarily in California's Central Valley to produce mandarins, lemons, and oranges.[22][40] Key products include Wonderful Halos easy-peel mandarins and Wonderful Seedless Lemons, harvested year-round for global distribution via integrated packing and shipping facilities.[41] These efforts support a vertically controlled supply chain from orchard to consumer, with the Resnicks' holdings totaling around 175,000 acres of farmland dedicated to nuts and citrus across California.[42]
Bottled Water and Juice Brands
Through The Wonderful Company, Stewart Resnick owns FIJI Water, a premium bottled water brand sourced from an artesian aquifer on Viti Levu island in Fiji. The Resnicks acquired the company in September 2004 from its founder David Gilmour and integrated it into their portfolio, then known as Roll Global.[25] [43] Under their management, FIJI Water expanded distribution and marketing, achieving the position of the top-selling premium imported bottled water in the United States by outselling brands such as Evian.[22]
POM Wonderful represents the Resnicks' entry into the juice market, focusing on pomegranate products including 100% pomegranate juice marketed in a signature double-bulb bottle. The brand was established in 2002 after the Resnicks discovered 100 acres of mature pomegranate trees on their pistachio orchard property in California's San Joaquin Valley, prompting them to invest in cultivation and processing.[44] [45] By 2022, POM Wonderful had developed into a business exceeding $200 million in annual revenue, emphasizing the fruit's antioxidant properties through advertising campaigns.[45] The company's vertically integrated operations control pomegranate farming, juicing, and bottling, primarily in Del Rey, California.[46]
Philanthropy
Foundations and Major Donations
The Resnick Foundation, established by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, serves as the primary vehicle for their philanthropic activities, channeling funds toward education, health, environmental sustainability, and community development initiatives. Through the foundation and related efforts via The Wonderful Company, the Resnicks have committed over $2.5 billion to such causes as of recent reports, with more than $1.3 billion directed specifically to environmental sustainability projects including water conservation and agricultural innovation.[1][47]
Among the foundation's major contributions, a $750 million pledge was made in September 2019 to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) to advance research on environmental sustainability, encompassing challenges in water, energy, food, and waste management; this built on an earlier $30 million contribution to establish the Resnick Sustainability Institute at Caltech a decade prior.[48] In October 2022, the foundation pledged $50 million to the University of California, Davis, to create the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation, aimed at enhancing sustainable farming practices and food security.[47] That same year, a $50 million gift established the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Sustainability Center for Catalysis at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, focusing on catalytic processes for environmental applications.[49]
Other significant donations include $2.375 million in 2018 to the UCLA School of Law for the Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy, bolstering research and education on agricultural and food system regulations.[50] In August 2019, $10 million supported the creation of the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies at the Aspen Institute, dedicated to preserving and studying the works of the Bauhaus architect and artist.[51] More recently, in July 2025, an additional $10 million endowment gift was provided to the same Aspen Institute center to ensure its long-term operations.[52] The foundation has also funded health initiatives, such as contributions exceeding $1 million to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.[53]
In the San Joaquin Valley, where the Resnicks' businesses operate, the foundation has supported local infrastructure including health clinics, two charter schools, and hundreds of college scholarships annually, reflecting a targeted approach to regional economic and social improvement.[53] These efforts underscore a emphasis on empirical outcomes in sustainability and community welfare, though the foundation's political grantmaking—such as support for policy-oriented nonprofits—has drawn scrutiny for blending philanthropy with advocacy.[54]
Support for Education and Health
The Resnicks, through the Resnick Foundation and The Wonderful Company, have committed over $2.5 billion to initiatives encompassing education, health, and wellness, with a focus on California's Central Valley and broader scientific advancement.[1] Their philanthropy emphasizes practical outcomes, such as early childhood programs and public health infrastructure, often tied to underserved communities where their agricultural operations are based.
In education, the Resnicks support Wonderful Education, which provides cradle-to-career resources including two preschools serving low-income families, dual-enrollment programs for high school students, and scholarships for higher education in the Central Valley.[9] They pledged $50 million to the University of California, Davis in October 2022 to establish the Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation, funding research into sustainable farming practices and student training in food systems.[55] Additional contributions include the March 2024 opening of the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Success Center at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, which aids first-generation college students with career development and personal support services.[56] The couple has also endowed scholarships at Reichman University in Israel through the American Friends organization, targeting international students in business and innovation fields.[57]
On health, the Resnicks donated $25 million to the Milken Institute to create the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Center for Public Health, launched to advance research and policy on chronic disease prevention and wellness programs.[53] Their annual Central Valley Community Foundation grants, totaling nearly $7 million over nine years as of July 2024, allocate funds to local health clinics, nutrition education, and wellness projects aimed at reducing obesity and improving access to care in rural areas.[58] These efforts prioritize evidence-based interventions, such as community nutrition tied to their fruit and nut products, though critics have noted potential conflicts with their commercial interests in agriculture.[59]
Cultural and Artistic Contributions
Lynda and Stewart Resnick have supported cultural institutions through substantial donations focused on visual arts, museum infrastructure, and artist education. Their contributions emphasize Los Angeles-based entities, reflecting a commitment to enhancing public access to contemporary art.[60][61]
In 2018, the Resnicks provided $30 million to the Hammer Museum at UCLA, marking the institution's largest single gift and initiating a $180 million capital campaign for expansion. This funding supported new facilities, including galleries and public spaces, culminating in the 2022 opening of the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Cultural Center, designed to host exhibitions, performances, and community programs. The center advances the museum's mission of presenting challenging contemporary art.[60][61][62]
The couple has also backed the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), funding the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion with contributions exceeding $45 million, alongside promises of artworks valued at $10 million. This pavilion facilitates major temporary exhibitions, enhancing LACMA's capacity for large-scale displays. Lynda Resnick, a LACMA trustee since 1992, has influenced these efforts.[63]
In education, the Resnicks donated $2 million to UCLA in 2019, establishing the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Endowed Chair in Art, aimed at fostering emerging artists through faculty support and programmatic innovation. This builds on their prior Hammer Museum gift, extending resources for art training.[64]
Beyond California, they endowed the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies at the Aspen Institute with $10 million in 2019 to preserve the Bauhaus designer's legacy, followed by another $10 million in 2025 to its endowment. The center maintains Bayer's campus artworks and promotes design history.[51][52]
Personal Life
Marriage and Family
Stewart Resnick married Lynda Rae Harris in 1972; the couple co-founded and co-own The Wonderful Company, integrating their personal and professional partnership.[65][6]
Prior to this marriage, Resnick was wed to Sandra Frazier, with whom he had three children: Jeff Resnick, Ilene Resnick, and Bill Resnick.[6][66] Lynda Resnick brought two sons from her prior marriage: Jason Sinay and Jonathan Sinay.[6]
In total, the Resnicks have five children and four grandchildren.[67][68] The family maintains residences in Beverly Hills, California, and Aspen, Colorado.[67][6]
Residences and Interests
Stewart Resnick and his wife Lynda maintain their primary residence in Beverly Hills, California, at a sprawling estate known as Sunset House on Sunset Boulevard. The property encompasses approximately 16,621 square feet, featuring nine bedrooms and nine bathrooms, reflecting the couple's status as prominent Los Angeles philanthropists and business leaders.[69][70]
The Resnicks also owned a expansive 74-acre compound in Aspen, Colorado, dubbed Little Lake Lodge, which they listed for sale in August 2025 at $300 million—the highest-priced home listing in the United States at the time. This estate includes an 18,466-square-foot main lodge with 18 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms, additional guest and staff residences, and amenities suited for extended stays amid the Rocky Mountains; the couple had developed the property over three decades before opting to sell.[71][72][27]
In terms of personal interests, Resnick has expressed enjoyment in cycling, traveling, and wine appreciation, while emphasizing a straightforward lifestyle focused on professional pursuits and negotiations.[14]
Wealth and Economic Impact
Net Worth and Forbes Rankings
As of September 1, 2025, Stewart Resnick's net worth is estimated at $5.4 billion, ranking him No. 280 on the Forbes 400 list of America's richest individuals.[2][73] This figure reflects his approximate half-share in assets co-owned with his wife, Lynda Resnick, primarily through The Wonderful Company, which encompasses large-scale nut and fruit farming, bottled water brands like Fiji, and juice products such as POM Wonderful.[2]
Forbes previously ranked the couple jointly in some assessments, with their combined wealth estimated at $12.6 billion in January 2025, driven by agricultural holdings including the Kern Water Bank and consumer goods sales.[74] Individual listings emerged more prominently in recent years, aligning with Forbes' methodology for shared fortunes among spouses. In the 2025 global Billionaires list (published earlier in the year), Resnick ranked No. 551 with a similar individual valuation around $6.3 billion at that time, indicating fluctuations tied to commodity prices, water rights valuations, and company performance.[2][75]
Resnick holds the distinction of being among the wealthiest individuals in U.S. agriculture, with his fortune underscoring the economic scale of California's Central Valley operations, where his enterprises control vast orchards and processing facilities.[2]
Job Creation and Industry Influence
The Wonderful Company, under Stewart Resnick's leadership as chairman and president, employs approximately 10,000 people globally, with roughly 3,000 positions based in California's Central Valley, supporting jobs in farming, processing, and distribution amid the state's dominant role in U.S. nut and citrus production.[76][77] This workforce has grown substantially from the company's early days, expanding from an initial team of five employees to 100 within three years following its founding in the 1970s, reflecting Resnick's scaling of agricultural operations through acquisitions and vertical integration.[78] The firm's $6 billion annual revenue underscores its role in sustaining employment in labor-intensive sectors like pistachio harvesting and almond processing, where seasonal and year-round roles contribute to local economies dependent on agribusiness.[77]
Resnick's enterprises have exerted substantial influence on California's nut industries, particularly pistachios, where Wonderful Pistachios holds a 60-70% share of the U.S. retail market as of 2016, achieved through control over growing, processing, and marketing that has elevated the crop from niche to mainstream snack status.[79] The company cultivates across 93 square miles of Central Valley orchards dedicated to pistachios and almonds, comprising part of 130,000 acres of California farmland under its management, enabling it to shape production volumes and export strategies—much of the pistachio output targets markets like China.[80][81] This scale has driven industry-wide investments, with the company surpassing $1 billion in supply chain spending by 2018, fostering infrastructure improvements and supplier networks that amplify economic multipliers in rural areas.[82]
As America's largest citrus grower and a top almond trader, Wonderful's operations have consolidated market power, prompting antitrust scrutiny over alleged monopolistic practices in pistachio pricing and acquisitions, as evidenced by a 2023 lawsuit from competing growers claiming Resnick's dominance suppresses smaller producers.[83][84] Despite such challenges, the company's vertical model has boosted overall sector output, positioning California to supply over 80% of global almonds and transforming arid land into high-yield orchards via advanced irrigation, thereby influencing water policy debates and agricultural innovation priorities.[85][74]
Political Involvement
Campaign Contributions
Stewart Resnick, along with his wife Lynda Resnick and executives from their companies, has donated millions to political campaigns, primarily in California, with contributions spanning both Democratic and Republican recipients since 1993.[86] A total of $3.97 million was reported in donations to candidates and committees during this period, including $776,638 to Democratic Party committees, $643,030 to former Governor Gray Davis (Democrat), $271,990 to former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican), and $238,500 to former Governor Pete Wilson (Republican).[86] Additional support went to initiatives such as $150,000 for the failed open-primary ballot measure in 2004.[86]
More recent contributions have favored Democratic causes. In 2021, Stewart and Lynda Resnick donated $250,000 to the campaign opposing the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom.[87] During the 2016 election cycle, Stewart Resnick personally contributed $202,518 to federal and state campaigns.[88] Federally, he has supported Democratic PACs with smaller amounts, including $4,154 to the Tried-and-True PAC (associated with Senator Amy Klobuchar) on October 30, 2024.[89] Donations from the Resnicks and their affiliated entities have totaled over $366,800 to Newsom's campaigns as of 2021.[90]
These contributions often align with policy interests in agriculture and water management, though Resnick has described his giving as pragmatic rather than ideological.[91] While early donations showed bipartisanship, particularly to California governors, later patterns emphasize Democratic candidates and committees.[54]
Policy Positions on Key Issues
Stewart Resnick has expressed support for policies that prioritize efficient water allocation to agriculture amid California's chronic shortages, advocating for infrastructure projects like the Delta Conveyance Project (formerly known as the Delta Tunnel) to increase water supplies from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for Southern California farms.[87] Through campaign contributions exceeding $3.97 million since the 1990s, primarily to Democratic politicians such as Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Dianne Feinstein, Resnick has backed candidates who favor relaxing federal environmental protections under the Endangered Species Act to allow greater Delta pumping, attributing water restrictions to overregulation rather than scarcity.[86][89] In a 2009 interview, he denied using personal relationships to influence policy but emphasized the need for reliable water to sustain farming operations.[92]
On climate change and sustainability, Resnick endorses scientific research into technological solutions for water, energy, and food security challenges, as evidenced by his and Lynda Resnick's $750 million pledge to Caltech in 2019 for environmental sustainability initiatives and a $50 million gift to UC Davis in 2022 for related programs.[93][55] He has stated that "science and bold creativity must unite to address the most pressing challenges facing energy, water, and sustainability," reflecting a preference for innovation-driven approaches over stringent regulatory mandates.[93] This stance aligns with his company's emphasis on drip irrigation and crop efficiency to mitigate drought impacts, though critics from environmental groups argue it overlooks broader systemic reforms.[10]
Regarding labor regulations in agriculture, Resnick has opposed certain state-level protections, including funding efforts to challenge California Assembly Bill 2183 (2019), which extended sexual harassment safeguards to farmworkers by eliminating statutes of limitations for minors.[94] The Wonderful Company, under his leadership, argued the law imposes unconstitutional burdens on employers, potentially harming operational flexibility in labor-intensive farming.[94] His donations to pro-business Democrats suggest a broader philosophy favoring regulations that balance worker rights with agricultural competitiveness, without endorsing expansive union-driven reforms.[90]
Resnick's political engagement indicates a pragmatic, business-oriented conservatism on economic issues, tempered by support for Democratic social policies through philanthropy, though he has not publicly articulated a comprehensive ideology.[54] His contributions, totaling over $366,000 to Newsom's campaigns by 2021, underscore alignment with governance that sustains agribusiness growth while funding sustainability research.[90]
Controversies and Criticisms
Water Usage in California Agriculture
The Wonderful Company's agricultural operations, owned by Stewart Resnick and his wife Lynda, encompass approximately 121,000 irrigated acres in California's San Joaquin Valley, focusing on water-intensive permanent crops such as almonds and pistachios. These 15 million trees require over 400,000 acre-feet of water annually, surpassing the 587,000 acre-feet used by all Los Angeles households combined. Almonds typically demand nearly 4 acre-feet per acre, while pistachios require about 3 acre-feet, reflecting the high evapotranspiration rates in the region's hot, dry climate where rainfall averages less than 10 inches per year.[39][95]
Water sources for these farms include allocations from the State Water Project and Central Valley Project, supplemented by groundwater pumping and storage in the Kern Water Bank, which Resnick's entities have controlled since acquiring majority interest in 1995. The bank, with a capacity of 730,000 acre-feet, allows extraction of up to 240,000 acre-feet per year through injection wells and recharge basins, enabling reliable irrigation even during surface water shortages. Originally developed in the 1980s with $74 million in state funds for statewide emergency storage, its transfer to private control via Kern County Water Bank Authority has drawn scrutiny for prioritizing commercial farming expansion—doubling nut and fruit acreage since 1994—over broader public needs.[96][39]
During California's recurrent droughts, such as the 2012–2016 episode, reliance on groundwater intensified, with the company's operations contributing to regional overdraft; statewide pumping reached 7 cubic kilometers annually, exacerbating aquifer depletion and land subsidence in Kern County. A 2016 analysis estimated Wonderful's orchards across 140 square miles consumed 117 billion gallons yearly, prompting claims of disproportionate resource use amid cutbacks for other sectors. The company maintains its total draw represents less than 1% of California's developed water supply, with agriculture overall accounting for 80% of the state's usage, and has invested in efficiencies like drought-tolerant rootstocks and precision irrigation to reduce per-unit consumption.[11][97][98]
Critics, including environmental groups and reports from outlets like Mother Jones, argue that Resnick's acquisitions of water rights and policy influence—such as lobbying for relaxed pumping regulations—have accelerated unsustainable extraction, converting marginal lands to thirsty orchards for export-driven profits while local communities face restrictions. Fact-checks, however, refute exaggerated narratives of "hoarding" vast shares of state water, emphasizing allocated contracts and regulatory oversight limit arbitrary control. Resnick's approach aligns with economic incentives in California's prior-appropriation system, where senior rights and storage infrastructure favor large-scale operators, though long-term viability hinges on balancing recharge with demand amid climate variability.[11][97]
Advertising and Health Claims Litigation
In September 2010, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed an administrative complaint against POM Wonderful LLC, Roll Global LLC (now The Wonderful Company), Stewart Resnick, Lynda Resnick, and executive Matthew Tupper, alleging that the company deceptively advertised its pomegranate juice and POMx supplements as effective in treating, preventing, or reducing risks of heart disease and prostate cancer.[99] The FTC contended that these claims relied on preliminary or animal studies lacking the rigorous, randomized, double-blind human clinical trials required for substantiation, with at least two such studies needed for disease-related assertions.[99]
After a multi-year administrative trial, an FTC administrative law judge ruled in September 2012 that while POM could communicate certain substantiated antioxidant benefits of its 100% pomegranate juice supported by human studies, 19 specific advertisements for disease prevention or treatment were unsubstantiated and misleading.[100] The full FTC Commission upheld this decision in January 2013, rejecting POM's arguments that smaller-scale or in vitro studies sufficed, and imposed corrective requirements including pre-dissemination evidence for future claims.[101]
The 2013 FTC order resulted in a 20-year injunction barring the respondents from making any health claims about pomegranate products without "competent and reliable scientific evidence," defined as at least two high-quality, peer-reviewed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trials.[102] POM appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which in February 2015 affirmed the FTC's liability findings but remanded for further review of whether some ads constituted commercial speech protected under the First Amendment, emphasizing that implied disease claims warranted stricter substantiation than general health statements.[103]
The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in May 2016, effectively upholding the FTC's core rulings and the injunction, which the agency described as addressing consumer deception in a market where pomegranate products were marketed as superior alternatives to conventional treatments.[104] No monetary penalties were imposed, but the case set precedents for evidentiary standards in food and supplement advertising, influencing subsequent FTC enforcement against unsubstantiated disease claims by other brands.[105]
Environmental and Social Critiques
The Resnick family's agricultural operations, primarily through The Wonderful Company, have drawn environmental scrutiny for their substantial water consumption in California's Central Valley, where almond and pistachio orchards require intensive irrigation amid recurrent droughts. A 2016 investigative report estimated that their farms consumed up to 120 billion gallons of water in a single year, exceeding the residential usage of Los Angeles, though this figure reflects allocations rather than direct pumping and has been contested as overstated by the company. Critics, including environmental advocates, argue that cultivating water-intensive nut crops in arid Kern County exacerbates groundwater depletion and strains the state's limited supplies, particularly as California faced severe droughts in the 2010s; for instance, almond production alone accounts for about 10% of the state's total water use, with the Resnicks as leading producers. The family’s control of the Kern Water Bank, acquired and privatized in the 1990s, has fueled accusations of disproportionate extraction during shortages, as the bank allows storage of imported water for later use, potentially prioritizing private interests over public needs. However, fact-checking analyses have debunked viral claims that the Resnicks "own most of California's water," clarifying that their influence is significant but limited to specific allocations and storage rights, not statewide dominance, and that recent wildfire-related criticisms in 2025 misrepresented their role in water availability for firefighting.[11][11][39][106][107][3]
Social critiques have centered on labor practices in the Resnicks' vast orchards and processing facilities, where the company employs thousands of mostly immigrant workers. The Wonderful Company has faced opposition from the United Farm Workers union over its legal challenge to California's AB 2183, a 2023 law streamlining union elections for farmworkers by allowing penalties for employer interference; the Resnicks' subsidiary sued in 2024, contending the measure violates due process and free speech by presuming employer guilt without evidence, a position supported by agricultural industry groups but decried by labor advocates as an attempt to suppress organizing. Reports have highlighted broader concerns about working conditions, including exposure to heat and chemicals in Kern County fields, though specific verifiable incidents tied directly to the Resnicks are limited, and the company has publicized investments in worker housing and health programs. Philanthropic efforts, such as funding community centers in underserved Central Valley areas, are cited by critics as insufficient to offset alleged reliance on low-wage labor amid the family's $10 billion fortune, yet independent rankings have recognized Wonderful for employee support initiatives. These disputes reflect tensions between large-scale agribusiness efficiency and union demands for greater protections, with the Resnicks maintaining that their operations provide stable jobs in a competitive sector.
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