Tanaka Farms

What Tanaka Farms does

Tanaka Farms is a family-owned agritourism destination and working farm headquartered in Irvine, California, operating on 30-40 acres of production land. Founded at its current site in 1998 but tracing family farming roots back five generations to the early 1900s, the business cultivates more than 60 varieties of fruits and vegetables, including 500,000 hydroponic strawberry plants, and operates a second location — Hana Field — in Costa Mesa. The company serves a broad consumer base, drawing approximately 200,000 annual visitors for tours, festivals, retail produce, and subscriptions, supported by 22 core employees and 100+ seasonal workers during peak periods.

Revenue is generated across a diversified portfolio of channels: paid farm experience tours (U-Pick at $20/person, barnyard admission at $6), a produce market stand, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions priced at $32 (small box) and $42 (large box) per week, farm-to-table dining experiences, private event rentals (from a $575 deposit), and large-scale seasonal events such as the Pumpkin Patch, which alone attracts 60,000-80,000 visitors in October. The company also runs a CSA fundraising program for schools, churches, and community organizations, adding an institutional/community sales channel on top of direct-to-consumer subscriptions.

Tanaka Farms is a privately held Limited Liability Company with no external funding, structured around family ownership and long-tenured operations rather than venture-backed scaling. The underlying operational technology is rooted in scaled hydroponic cultivation and integrated agritourism programming (school field trips, summer camp, group tours, and seasonal festivals), with the business model fundamentally transaction- and subscription-based, monetizing on-site experiences alongside direct produce sales.

Name

Tanaka Farms

Legal name

Tanaka Farms, LLC

Website

https://tanakafarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tanaka Farms is a family-owned agritourism destination and working farm in Irvine, California, operating 30-40 acres of diversified produce and drawing roughly 200,000 annual visitors through tours, CSA subscriptions, retail produce, farm-to-table dining, and seasonal festivals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agritourism and Farm Experiences

NAICS

Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (44424)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farmstead & Local Artisan Food Markets (Retail Shops) (CRAHAGAO), Farm-to-Table & Agritourism Dining Experiences (Farm Visits, Harvest Meals) (THAJAGAK), Organic Fruit & Tree Nut Farming (Orchards) (AFAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Agritourism experiences
• U-pick farm tours
• Csa produce subscriptions
• Farm-to-table dining
• Seasonal farm festivals

Headquarters

HQ city

Irvine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Farm Experience Tours: Reservation-based tractor wagon tours with U-pick experiences, melon tasting tours, strawberry tours, and seasonal activities. Revenue from per-person admission fees.
2. Produce Market Stand: Direct retail of fresh fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, breads, honeys, and jams from local artisans. Daily harvest sales.
3. CSA Subscriptions: Community Supported Agriculture program with Small Box ($32, 6-7 items) and Large Box ($42, 9-11 items) weekly or biweekly deliveries. Pickup or delivery options.
4. Farm-to-Table Dining: Tanaka Grill restaurant serving breakfast on weekends, with farm-fresh seasonal dishes.
5. Private Event Rentals: Tent rentals for private events including 3-hour tent rental, minimum 15 guests, U-pick tours, barnyard access. Deposit starts at $575.
6. Agritourism Events: Seasonal festivals including Pumpkin Patch, Melon Tasting, Strawberry Festival, and Hikari Festival of Lights drive significant visitor revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Tanaka Farms is a family-owned, working 30-40 acre farm in Irvine, California that grows 60+ varieties of fruits and vegetables year-round and sells them directly to consumers through an on-site produce market stand, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription box program, and U-pick farm tours. The farm's primary commercial offering is its agritourism experience: reservation-based tractor wagon tours (strawberry, melon, and seasonal vegetable picking), an on-site farm-to-table restaurant (Tanaka Grill), a Barnyard Educational Exhibit, seasonal festivals (Pumpkin Patch, Hikari Festival of Lights, Strawberry Festival, Melon Tasting), private event rentals, and school field trips, attracting approximately 200,000 visitors annually.

Product overview

Tanaka Farms is a family-owned agritourism destination and working farm in Irvine, California, offering a diversified portfolio of experiences and products. The core offering centers on U-Pick farm tours (strawberry, melon, and seasonal vegetable picking), a produce market stand selling farm-fresh harvest, and the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program with two box sizes. Supporting experiences include the Barnyard Educational Exhibit, farm-to-table dining at Tanaka Grill, seasonal festivals (Pumpkin Patch, Hikari Festival of Lights, Strawberry Festival, Melon Tasting), private event tent rentals, and school/group field trips. A second location branded Hana Field operates in Costa Mesa with lavender picking and goat yoga. The farm also operates charitable initiatives including the Tanaka Heritage Project, Tanaka Day community gathering, and partnership with MaxLove Project for childhood cancer awareness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Melon Tasting Tours Tractor-pulled wagon tours around the farm where visitors pick seasonal vegetables and sample melons at a tasting tent, taking home a melon at the end.
• Strawberry Picking Tours Hands-on strawberry picking tours where visitors harvest strawberries directly from the field, a signature agritourism experience.
• Produce Market Stand Retail produce stand selling freshly harvested fruits and vegetables grown on-site, plus local artisan products including dried fruits, nuts, breads, honeys, and jams.
• Tanaka Grill Farm-to-Table Restaurant On-site farm restaurant serving made-to-order breakfast on weekends, with seasonal dishes and farm-fresh flavors.
• Barnyard Educational Exhibit Interactive exhibit featuring rescued farm animals including goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, alpaca, bunnies, and a pony, with educational programming and storytime sessions.
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program Subscription-based produce box program delivering weekly or bi-weekly selections of seasonal farm-fresh fruits and vegetables in two sizes (Small Box and Large Box) with pickup or delivery options.
• Pumpkin Patch Festival Seasonal fall event featuring hand-picked pumpkins, hayrides, photo opportunities, and family-friendly activities; attracts up to 60,000-80,000 visitors during October.
• Hikari Festival of Lights Holiday evening event featuring thousands of dazzling lights, wagon rides, themed walking paths, farm-fresh treats, hot cocoa, holiday market, and Santa photo opportunities.
• Hana Field (Costa Mesa) Second farm location in Costa Mesa offering U-pick lavender, barnyard animals, baby goat yoga, storytime sessions, and seasonal pumpkin patch activities.
• Field Trips and Group Reservations Educational farm tours for schools and groups with hands-on agricultural activities, animal interactions, and wagon rides.
• Private Events and Tent Rentals Private event hosting including tent rentals with shaded picnic areas, private U-pick tractor tours, and barnyard access for celebrations.
• Tanaka Melons (Premium Melons) Premium melon varieties including watermelons and cantaloupes grown in raised beds during peak sunshine months, hand-checked for quality before harvest.
• Christmas Tree Lot Seasonal Christmas tree sales operation at the farm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hosts ~200,000 visitors annually including thousands of school children
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Helping Farms Feed Families (501c3)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit initiative to educate public about agriculture and train new farmers. During COVID-19, helped distribute Community Care Packages to over 3,500 families in need. Barnyard admission fees support this nonprofit.
• Orange Coast Optimist (OCO) ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOCO Club holds events at Tanaka Farms including Walk the Farm annual fundraiser (started 2011 after Tohoku earthquake), Mochitsuki Taikai, and Halloween party. Walk the Farm has raised over $1 million for farmers in Japan.
• MaxLove ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit supporting families facing childhood cancers. Tanaka Farms hosts FarmWalk for Kids and annual Farm to Fork dinner fundraiser. Partnership since the earliest days of MaxLove programming.
• Solutions For Urban Agriculture (SFUA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFUA offers educational programming about urban agriculture and sustainability. Annual Harvest Moon Celebration hosted at Tanaka Farms.
• Manaserro FarmsminorOthersDonated fresh produce during COVID-19 crisis for Community Care Packages.
• Old Town Baking CompanyminorOthersLocal business supporting Community Care Packages during COVID-19.
• Batista Family Farm MilkminorOthersLocal farm contributing dairy products to Community Care Packages.
• Family Tree ProduceminorOthersProduce supplier supporting Community Care Packages during COVID-19.
• Chef Adam Navidi (Oceans and Earth Restaurant)minorOthersChef contributing to Community Care Packages and farm culinary programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fair Oaks Farms: Large agritourism destination in Indiana featuring dairy farm tours, educational exhibits, restaurants, and seasonal events. Comparable diversified agritourism business model with farm-to-table dining component at significantly larger scale.
• Underwood Family Farms: Multi-generational family farm in Moorpark, California operating U-pick fields, CSA subscriptions, farm markets, and seasonal festivals including a Fall Harvest Festival. Closely comparable to Tanaka Farms in geography, business model, and agritourism focus.
• Hidden Villa: Los Altos Hills, California nonprofit farm and wilderness preserve offering farm tours, educational programs, and CSA subscriptions. Comparable Bay Area agritourism + education + CSA model with similar community nonprofit orientation.
• Swanton Berry Farm: Davenport, California farm offering U-pick berries, CSA subscriptions, and farm store retail on the coast. Comparable diversified agritourism + CSA + direct retail model in California.
• Suzie's Farm: San Diego, California organic farm offering U-pick tours, farm dinners, CSA subscriptions, and educational programs. Comparable Southern California diversified farm with overlapping agritourism, CSA, and farm-to-table offerings.
• Lombardi Ranch: Huntington Beach family farm known for its Pumpkin Patch and seasonal family farm experiences. Similar Orange County/SoCal agritourism positioning with comparable U-pick and festival offerings.
• Farm Fresh To You: California-based organic produce delivery and CSA subscription service sourcing from partner farms. Comparable to Tanaka Farms' CSA subscription model with overlapping customer demographics in California.
• Carlsbad Strawberry Company: Carlsbad, California U-pick strawberry farm offering wagon rides and seasonal picking experiences. Directly comparable to Tanaka Farms' Strawberry Picking Tours in Southern California.
• Bates Nut Farm: Valley Center, California agritourism destination specializing in pumpkin patches, farm events, and seasonal festivals with on-site retail. Comparable to Tanaka Farms' Pumpkin Patch operation and event-driven agritourism model in Southern California.

Emerging players

• Imperfect Foods: Subscription-based produce and grocery delivery service operating across the West Coast and beyond. Competes for CSA subscribers and produce box customers but operates as a technology-enabled aggregator rather than a working farm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tanakafarms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tanaka-farms-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 Tanaka Farms