History

#1

May 5th, 1943. John D. Smith organized members and formed the Squab Producers of California Cooperative.

#2

August 1945. Co-op member Tony Cecillo pictured with the SPOC delivery truck.

#3

March 1946. SPOC original capital stock shares issued to co-op members.

#4

August 1946. Co-op member Herman Arce pictured with a SPOC delivery truck underneath the Golden Gate bridge.

#5

August 1946. The Squab Farm of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Bell in Hayward, California.

#6

October 21, 1947. Membership meeting approves SPOC’s first processing plant.

#7

Late 1940s. Early King Cal Squab advertising

#8

September 1949. Captial stock eliminated in favor of revolving fund.

#9

1960. Bird receiving at SPOC’s processing plant.

#10

Early 1960s. King Cal Squab advertising

#11

1961. State Fair Certificate of Quality. Awarded to Squab Producers of California / King Cal Squabs.

#12

June 16, 1964. USDA bans the use of the word “Squab” to describe anything other than squab. The Cornish Game Hen was born.

#13

June 1971. Squab Producers of California moves to a larger processing facility in Hayward, California.

#14

1972. King Cal Squab advertising.

#15

1980. Photos from our Hayward processing plant.

#16

Late 1981. Construction at the new SPOC processing plant in Modesto, California.

#17

1982. Moving day from old plant in Hayward, California to new facility in Modesto.

#18

1982. Grand opening of the new SPOC processing plant in Modesto, California.

#19

1983. Unveiling of new SPOC logo.

#20

1984. SPOC marketing material, showing the farm of one of our farmer members.

#21

1985. Squab Producer of California at the California State Fair.

#22

1988. Farmer members Jack and Heather Gregory featured in a local news article.

#23

Early 1990s. “Squabs are delicious” bumper sticker.

#24

Early 1990s. Expansion in SPOC Modesto, California processing plant.

#25

1993. Commemorative plates celebrating 50th anniversary of SPOC.

#26

2005. SPOC launch first website, Squab.com

#27

2008. Our processing plant in Modesto gets the very first air-chill system in California.

#28

2012. SPOC becomes the first company in California to install an electronic paperless HACCP system.

#29

2012. Farmer members of the SPOC Co-op were presented with the “Pioneer of the Year” Award by the California Poultry Association.

#30

2017. Construction starts on SPOC’s Cooperative Breeder facility.

#31

2017. First breeders arrive in new houses in Cooperative Breeder facility.