Founded in the fertile lands of the Central Valley of California in the 1860s, the family ranch has a rich history deeply rooted in agriculture. In 1985, the company began as a humble venture in the family kitchen, evolving into the Just Tomatoes company and later transforming into Karen’s Naturals. Today, the original endeavor has flourished into a thriving organization, dedicated to supplying healthy snacks to families nationwide.

In the early 1970s, while on leave from his naval duties, Bill Cox, one of the fourth-generation custodians of the Cox Ranch, walked into a bookstore in San Francisco to pass the time. His life took a colorful turn that day, as he met Karen Quick in that bookstore. Karen was an incredibly skilled artist and served as a teacher at the California College of Arts. On that fateful day in San Francisco, something special began. Bill and Karen soon married and welcomed their son Matthew and later their daughter Megan, thereby completing the family.

Together, Bill and Karen embarked on the journey of parenthood, cultivating not only crops but also fostering artistic expression within the family. Their story weaves together farming, traditions, the beauty of nature, and profound family values.

In 1985, after several years of dehydrating home-grown tomatoes for personal use, Karen's entrepreneurial spirit inspired the establishment of a new company dedicated to selling these incredible dried tomatoes. She sought to eliminate salt, sulfur, and other preservatives found in the popular imported sun-dried tomatoes that seemed to be everywhere. With Bill’s full support, Just Tomatoes was born. Just Tomatoes was different because it was just tomatoes, nothing else.