Rise and Fall of a Tomato Empire

February 21, 2010 4:44 PM

Scott Salyer transformed the family business into one of the largest providers of processed tomatoes in the US. Apparent business success descended into family infighting, scandal, and bankruptcy. Earlier this month he was arrested and charged after a federal investigation charged him with orchestrating a massive price fixing conspiracy as CEO of SK Foods

A little more info on the Salyer family can be found here. Former Salyer employees commented here.

posted by humanfont (7 comments total)

Earlier this month he was arrested and charged after a federal investigation charged him with orchestrating a massive price fixing conspiracy as CEO of SK Foods

Can someone explain to me why the RIAA and MPAA can engage in price fixing; Why OPEC can do it; Why computer hardware manufacturers (though not OEMs) can do it (under the guise of a "consortium")... But a guy in one of the lowest margin, highest risk industries in the US can't talk to other producers and come up with a price appropriate for this year's harvest?
posted by pla at 5:02 PM on February 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

That guy hasn't bought the right politicians.
posted by mhoye at 5:04 PM on February 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

Jennifer Dahlam, a former record and business analyst at SK Foods, is also awaiting sentencing. She admitted to causing the introduction of adulterated and misbranded food onto the marketplace with intent to defraud, by mislabeling products that should have been thrown out due to their high mold content.

Scary.
posted by mecran01 at 6:46 PM on February 21, 2010

Isn't it the case that we know of all the cases cites precisely because of government proscecution?
posted by pwnguin at 7:13 PM on February 21, 2010

I'm always amazed at the sheer size of these operations.
Great story, seems like Scott Salyer should have stuck with being a private land baron, like his forebears.
posted by madajb at 7:56 PM on February 21, 2010

So this guy was entering the US when he was arrested, yet he was somehow fleeing?
posted by wierdo at 8:51 PM on February 21, 2010

@weirdo apparently he was returning to close some things out after being out of the country since October of last year. He probably thought he could slip through quickly, settle his paperwork and get out before anyone noticed.
posted by humanfont at 10:19 AM on February 22, 2010