In the late 1930's, when the United States was beginning to recover from the Great Depression, a young Stanford graduate came to California's Salinas Valley seeking employment. H.W. "Cy" Mann began his career trimming fruit and lettuce for 40 cents an hour. He loaded grain onto boxcars, and as a result of his hard work and dedication, became foreman of a produce shed. It was 1939 when he opened a fresh carrot packing operation called, H.W. Mann. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Mann found his claim to fame in the fresh vegetable industry, namely broccoli. It was in those early days that Mr. Mann built a reputation for honesty and integrity―one that remains with the company today.

In 1976 Bill Ramsey and Don Nucci joined Mr. Mann as partners in the company. Today, the Nucci and Ramsey families lead the firm which now spans three generations. They are a majority women-owned and operated business, and one of the country's leading suppliers of fresh vegetables, including washed and ready to use fresh-cut veggies, snack packs, party trays, and washed and trimmed lettuce products for foodservice. They are best known for their proprietary Broccolini ® product and their award-winning Stringless Sugar Snap Peas.