Bronco Wine Co., the maker of Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wine brand, commonly known as “Two Buck Chuck,” announced plans to lay off 81 permanent employees at its Stanislaus County headquarters in Ceres, California. The layoffs, disclosed under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, were filed on February 6 and are scheduled to take effect on April 8.
The company cited a significant downturn in business revenues as the reason for the workforce reduction, which will involve various positions including drivers, lift truck operators, mechanics, security officers, cellar supervisors, viticulturists, and microbiology technicians. Bronco Wine Co. operates alongside its affiliates Bivio Transport and Logistics Co., LLC, and WC Ag, all of which are affected by the layoffs.
Bronco Wine Co. has been family-owned since its founding in 1973 and is known for its portfolio of wine brands, including Rosenblum Cellars, Carmenet, Picket Fence, Crane Lake Cellars, and Longevity Wines. The company’s Charles Shaw wine line, which launched in 2002 at the price of $1.99 per bottle, has since become a staple at Trader Joe’s. Though the price has risen, with some bottles now reaching $3.99, the brand remains widely recognized for its affordability.
The layoffs are part of a broader trend in the wine industry, which has seen closures and workforce reductions in both small wineries like Carlisle, Tarpon, and Vinca Minor, as well as large companies such as Southern Glazer, which laid off hundreds of employees last fall.
Fred Franzia, the winemaker who founded Bronco Wine Co. with his family and is credited with creating the Charles Shaw brand, passed away in September 2022 at the age of 79. Franzia was a controversial figure in the industry, earning the nickname “Bad Boy of California Wine” for his disdain for high-end wines. Under his leadership, Bronco Wine Co. became known for acquiring bankrupt vineyards and launching cost-effective wine lines. The company purchased the Charles Shaw brand for just $25,000 in 1995, before introducing the popular label to Trader Joe’s in 2002.
The layoffs reflect ongoing challenges in the wine industry, marked by economic pressures and changes in consumer demand.
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