A New Chapter, Rooted in Tradition
The next generation has arrived! Longtime Tri-County Produce team members Jaime Desales and his son, Jaime Jr.—better known as Mito—have officially taken the reins, ensuring Santa Barbara continues to enjoy fresh, local, and healthy food for years to come.
Jaime’s journey began in 1999, learning the art of hand-selecting, preparing, and beautifully displaying produce directly from Tri-County’s founder, Jim Dixon. Over two decades later, as Produce Manager and now owner, Jaime has cultivated deep relationships with local farmers and suppliers to bring the very best to the community. Mito, trained by his father and following proudly in his footsteps, is carrying forward the same commitment to quality, value, and hometown service.
Reflecting on his career at Tri-County Produce, Jaime points to his work ethic as the key to his success: "I started as a young kid washing lettuce in the back. Now I own the place. Nothing was handed to me. You’ve got to earn it. I worked hard to build trust."
This new chapter of family ownership was made possible by the extraordinary support of loyal customers Wendy and Eric Schmidt and the Schmidt Family Foundation, whose belief in Jaime and Mito helped turn this dream into reality.
At Tri-County Produce, the legacy continues—rooted in hard work, community, and a love for local food.
“I started as a young kid washing lettuce in the back. Now I own the place. Nothing was handed to me. You’ve got to earn it. I worked hard to build trust.”
Jim Dixon (Top Left) and John Dixon (Bottom Right)
Jim learned the produce business from his Dad while growing up on their farm. They regularly pulled a wagon of fresh fruits and vegetables to the local market. Jim Dixon Photo: Santa Barbara Independent
The Early Days
The building where Tri-County Produce is located was built in 1950 for Harry Bowman. For years, Harry distributed wholesale produce to the tri-counties, delivering to restaurants, schools and stores.
In 1976, Harry Bowman sold the business to Virgil and Marie Eliot, who decided to open Tri-County Produce to the public. They sold it to Jim Dixon and his son, John, in 1985.
Jim Dixon was raised on his father's farm in Eastern Canada. As a young boy, he worked the farm where they grew and harvested many fruits and vegetables. Jim and his father would pick the produce and load it on a wagon which was hitched to a team of horses. In this way, they transported their fresh picked produce to the local market for sale. Jim was in the produce and grocery business all his life, and passed his knowledge and love for the industry to his son, John.