FRESNO, CA - A man like Domenick “Cookie” Bianco needs no introduction. He’s an industry fixture, a titan in the California table grape landscape, and his contributions to the industry he loves can not be overstated. To celebrate the dedication he has given to the industry, the California Table Grape Commission (commission) and the California Fresh Fruit Association (CFFA) Boards of Directors recently honored Bianco with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

A joint resolution from the commission and CFFA outlines why Bianco was chosen for this honor.

“Cookie is an icon in the table grape industry, someone who is revered for his passion and commitment, for his belief in taking the fight to the enemy—whoever that enemy might be—for his savvy survival skills which include living to fight another day, and for his belief in working with his neighbors and competitors through industry organizations,” it said in the resolution.

As we covered previously, Bianco’s entire life has been dedicated to agriculture. In 1972, along with his brother Robert, they both started Anthony Vineyards. For decades, Bianco has managed the Bakersfield operations while his brother Bobby managed the Coachella operations.

The resolution went on to express “deepest admiration for all that Cookie has achieved over a lifetime of hard work and for the examples he has provided of what it means to be of steadfast service to a family, a community of growers and employees, an industry, and a state.”

With a planned retirement from Board leadership in 2025 at the age of 90, Bianco will have served on the Commission Board for 39 years. This includes being a member of the inaugural board in 1968. He has been a member of the California Fresh Fruit Association since 1975.

We extend hearty congratulations to Cookie Bianco for his incredible contributions to the fresh produce and table grape industries. You will never be forgotten.