It all started when Aristides Bezzerides, Sr. made his journey to America from Asia-Minor in the early 1900’s to escape rising anti-Greek sentiment in the Ottoman Empire. He began by peddling produce on the streets of New York; later, farming in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Bezzerides Brothers continued farming into the 1960’s, with individual operations developing over the state.
In 1954, the first packaging operation of Nuts and Seeds for Produce Department Sales was started in Northern California by the founder, George Bezzerides, Sr. (named after America’s first President George Washington because he was the first Bezzerides born in America- and just happened to be born on Independence Day!) He began by selling the nuts out of his Sunnyvale fruit stand. George Jr. packaged the nuts by hand before school and helped to deliver them after (and sometimes during) class.
The first introduction of “impulse snack food-nut items” for grocery and convenience stores, the first “tube” pack nuts display, and the first introduction of “Salted in shell Nuts” have since been widely successful.
George, Sr. died suddenly in the mid-60’s and the “show” was continued by his son, George. With the help of Art Bezzerides and, later, his son Aaron Bezzerides, sales developed into departmentalized merchandising in all types of retail outlets, with distribution and warehousing across the great country Aristides came to 100 years ago.
In 2004, The Bezzerides Company celebrated its 50th Anniversary! The “show” will be continued by the third generation of American-born Bezzerideses.
George Bezzerides, Sr.
Art Bezzerides
George Bezzerides
Aaron Bezzerides
George Bezzerides