B&W is the world’s largest watercress grower. This 134 year young specialty produce operation also grows the popular ‘wild roquette’ variety of baby arugula. It has seasonal farms in six states in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. that ensure an unrivaled, year-round supply of fresh product is always available. Family owned and operated for more than 134 years, the B&W label has earned a reputation for consistently high product quality and value among grocers, wholesalers, chefs, restaurateurs and consumers.

B&W’s roots go back to New Jersey in 1870, when brothers-in-law Richard Salmon Baker and Richard Soltan formed Soltan and Baker. Soon, nephew Albert W. Baker joined the operation; eventually his son, Richard W. Baker, ran the company. Richard R. (Dick) Burgoon, who married Richard Baker’s oldest daughter, Patricia, was welcomed into the family business in 1963. Burgoon bought the business in 1969 and merged with Donald E. Weaver (hence the B&W name). In 1973, B&W purchased Dennis Watercress Co., established in 1874. Weaver retired in 1990 and sold his share of the business to Burgoon, whose family presently owns and operates B&W.

Fellsmere, Florida (just west of Vero Beach)

November -May: Florida

May-October: West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alabama and Tennessee

B&W has approximately 230 full-time employees, including administrative, packinghouse and harvesting staffs; and about 20 part-time hires. Many have been employed by B&W for more than 15 years; some close to 50 years. The company’s progressive benefits package includes year-round housing (in two venues, alternating geographically with the growing season), health insurance, standard federal holidays and incentive-oriented college or trade school education supplements for employees’ children. In addition, to ensure labor compliance, B&W converted their workforce to an H2-A program of workers with legal work visas.

B&W and its’ management team are led by Chairman and Founder Richard (Dick) Burgoon, and President Alan Temple. Mr. Burgoon carried on his wife’s family’s legacy for watercress and founded B&W Quality Growers, Inc. in 1969. He built B&W into the world’s largest grower of watercress by insisting on being the best, and as we all know, being the best ultimately leads to becoming the biggest. His unrelenting focus on being the best remains his primary mission at B&W.

Alan Temple joined B&W in 1994 and steadily worked his way up to his current position of President. In that capacity Alan is responsible for both the management of day-to-day operations and leading B&W into it’s second century of family operations.

In addition to Alan, the family is represented by Northern Farms V.P. of Operations Robert Burgoon, V.P. of Marketing Andy Brown, and Sales Director Steven Burgoon.

B&W Quality Growers Inc. is the industry’s’ premier grower of top quality watercress and arugula; offered in a range of traditional and value-added packs tailored to meet the needs of our customers and markets.

Beginning humbly with a goal of always providing the best in quality, B&W has quietly grown to become the world’s largest grower/shipper of watercress. And after 135 years, our focus and most important product is still…quality

B&W sets the standard for quality with comprehensive sanitation and cold chain maintenance programs, certified HACCP oversight, on-site quality control micro-biology lab, year round availability, and product and market knowledge that come from dedicating yourself to watercress and specialty leaf vegetables for over 135 years.