JC Watson Packing Company

What JC Watson Packing Company does

J.C. Watson Packing Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned onion grower, packer, and shipper headquartered in Parma, Idaho, founded in 1912. The company specializes exclusively in onions, producing Yellow, Red, White, and Sweet varieties (including the proprietary Sunions tearless sweet onion) plus an organic line, sold under multiple private-label brands including Watson, Soo Brand, SooRing, Jim's Best, Trail Blazer, and Treasure Valley. Operations span vertically integrated growing (Watson Agriculture Inc.), packing/shipping (J.C. Watson Packing Company), and logistics (SooBrand Solutions Chicago transload center), with seasonal packing sheds in Idaho, California, New Mexico, and Texas enabling year-round supply under the Onion 365 program.

The company's core technology stack centers on first-of-its-kind European-imported bin storage with customizable airflow, computerized climate control maintaining an optimal 37°F, computerized sizing and color sorting, photo-assisted packing, and Emerson/LocusTraxx cold-chain shipment tracking. Food safety and quality are anchored by GAP, GMP, and Primus GFS certifications, MRL residue testing, and a full-time on-site USDA grade inspector. Headcount is reported at 11-50 employees supplemented by seasonal H-2A labor, with a new Wilder, Idaho packing facility expected to double capacity and add 30+ skilled jobs.

The business model is B2B wholesale/quote-based, selling cartons (25-50 lb), bags (3-10 lb), and totes (2,100-3,100 lb) to retail grocery chains, food service distributors, and wholesale produce buyers across the United States, with international exports to Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, and Australia. The company operates a sales-led go-to-market via its Parma sales office, supported by an account management team, a sales & marketing director, and dedicated sales and procurement leadership hired in 2024 to drive contract business. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed, and the company remains independently owned with no external institutional investment.

Name

JC Watson Packing Company

Legal name

J.C. Watson Packing Company

Website

https://soobrand.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

J.C. Watson Packing Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned onion grower, packer, and shipper based in Parma, Idaho, serving retail, food service, and wholesale customers year-round across the U.S. and five international markets via the Onion 365 program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Onion Packing and Shipping

NAICS

Farm Product Warehousing and Storage (493130), Other Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (424590)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAOAGAG

Onion/Garlic Curing, Grading & Packing Facilities

Agriculture & Food Production/Post-Harvest Handling & Storage (Grain Elevators, Silos, Cold Storage)/Packhouses & Produce Sorting/Grading Facilities

SECONDARYTLAIACAB

Food-Grade Warehousing & Contract Storage

Transportation & Logistics/Third-Party & Fourth-Party Logistics (3PL/4PL) / Contract Logistics/Warehousing Operations & Contract Storage (Dedicated/Shared)

Keywords

• Fresh onion packing
• Onion shipping services
• Produce distribution
• Year-round onion supply
• Refrigerated produce storage

Headquarters

HQ city

Parma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Onion Product Sales: The company generates revenue through the sale of fresh onions including Yellow, Red, White, and Sweet varieties. Products are sold in various packaging formats including cartons (40lb, 50lb), bags (3lb, 5lb, 10lb), and totes (2,100lb, 3,100lb). The company ships to customers across the United States and internationally (Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Australia).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JC Watson Packing Company grows, packs, and ships fresh onions including Yellow, Red, White, Sweet, and Sunions varieties in multiple size grades and packaging formats (cartons, bags, totes). The company operates an Onion 365 year-round supply program leveraging its own sheds and partner sheds across the Western United States, complemented by full-service transportation including rail, intermodal, and trucks via its SooBrand Solutions Chicago transload center.

Product overview

JC Watson Packing Company is a fourth-generation family-owned onion grower, packer, and shipper offering a comprehensive portfolio of onion products and services. The core product portfolio includes Yellow, Red, White, and Sweet onion varieties across multiple size grades (Super, Colossal, Jumbo, Large Medium, Medium, Mini Jumbo), with both conventional and organic options. The company operates the Onion 365 year-round supply program utilizing partner sheds throughout the West and offers full-service transportation including the Soobrand Solutions Chicago transload center. Key product brands include Watson Brand, Soo Brand, SooRing, Jim's Best, Trail Blazer, Treasure Valley, and Watson Organic Brand. The company also offers Sunions, a proprietary tear-free sweet onion variety. Food safety services include GAP and GMP certifications with Primus GFS compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Soo Brand Solutions: Transload center in Chicago area handling logistics from field to truck for customers east of the Mississippi, offering rail car service and single truckloads.
• Sunions

Products and services

• Yellow Onions

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Harris FreshcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHarris Fresh serves as J.C. Watson's California packing partner, enabling the company to move onions from California before the Idaho season begins in September. This partnership supports the company's year-round program and allows continued service to customers during the California growing season.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/soobrand
• Facebookfacebook.com/Onions365
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/j-c-watson-packing-company

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JC Watson Packing Company