California note
Martinelli's keeps Watsonville's apple story in a bottle
S. Martinelli & Company began in Watsonville's Pajaro Valley apple country in 1868, giving the farm town a familiar California food-and-drink story.
Watsonville’s farm story is easy to taste if you have ever seen a round bottle of Martinelli’s sparkling cider on a holiday table. The company traces its roots to the Pajaro Valley, where the Martinelli family found good apple country.
The company history starts with Swiss brothers Luigi and Stephano Martinelli. Luigi farmed in the valley. Stephano later joined him. By 1868, Stephen Martinelli was making apple cider from apples grown on his brother’s farm, and S. Martinelli & Company began.
Watsonville has a story that travels far beyond town. A local apple crop became a brand people know from stores, restaurants, school parties, and family meals. It is farm-town California in a very everyday form.
The company still lists Watsonville facilities and a company store on Harvest Drive. The story is still tied to the same city, the same valley, and the long memory of apples on the Central Coast.
Where to see it
Martinelli's Company Store and Tasting Room on Harvest Drive in Watsonville.
Sources
Sources for this story
Reviewed July 1, 2026
Public sources for the places, events, and details above.
Connected places
Open the local directory
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