The Wonderful Company (formerly Roll Global) is a private corporation based in Los Angeles, California. With revenues of over $4 billion US, it functions as a holding company for American billionaire couple, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, and is a vehicle for their personal investments in a number of businesses.
The following are brands and products under The Wonderful umbrella:
- POM Wonderful, pomegranate juice company
- Fiji Water, bottled water company
- Teleflora, flower delivery service company
- Halos Mandarins
- Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds
- Wonderful Sweet Scarlett Red Graprefruit
- Wonderful Seedless Lemons
- Justin Wines
- Landmark Wines
- JNSQ Wines
The couple came under fire recently due to their ownership of 57% of the rights to the Kern Water Bank, a large underground reservoir located 150 miles from Los Angeles. During the January LA wildfires, firefighters faced serious challenges, some of them attributable to failing water pressure. This was predominantly caused by the limitations of the residential water system in delivering large volumes of water over extended periods. But in the chaos, accusations soon started spreading that the Resnicks, who are the biggest farmers with the most irrigated land in the US, were hoarding water needed to fight the fires.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/los-angeles-wildfires-stewart-resnick-lynda-resnick-water-rights/
https://news.artnet.com/art-world/resnicks-los-angeles-2597907
Experts and officials have since clarified that the Resnicks’ water ownership was not related to the firefighting challenges in Los Angeles, but the controversy highlights the complex issues surrounding water rights and management in California.
Pro-Israel Connections
The Resnicks have significant ties to Israel through their fundraising activities and financial support. The couple has made substantial contributions to various Israeli institutions and causes, including the IDF.
The billionaire couple have provided significant financial support to Israel’s military and related organizations, with annual donations ranging from $200,000 to $500,000 primarily through the American Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces, a not-for-profit foundation that serves as the fundraising arm of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, an influential think-tank with close links to the Israeli intelligence and military establishment. Along with regular donations, Stewart Resnick has also served as a board member of the organization.
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2025/01/13/the-resnicks-la-california/
The couple have been dedicated supporters of Reichman University (formerly IDC Herzliya) for over a decade. Stewart Resnick sits on the American Friends of Reichman University Board and has contributed major scholarships to the Raphael Recanati International School, enabling hundreds of students to receive financial assistance for their education in Israel.
https://www.runi.ac.il/en/about/runifriends/donor-recognition/lynda-and-stewart-resnick/
In December 2022, the Resnicks pledged $50 million to establish the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Sustainability Center for Catalysis at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-725521
https://csr.wonderful.com/articles/stewart-and-lynda-resnick-sustainability-center-for-catalysis
The couple also donated $12 million to support the transformation of the National Library of Israel.
https://csr.wonderful.com/articles/a-lasting-legacy-for-israel-and-the-world
The Lynda and Stewart Resnick Fellowship was established to support researchers and artists working in the library’s core areas of specialization.
https://www.nli.org.il/en/research-and-teach/create/resnick-fellowship
Shame on the “wonderful” company! Boycott the “wonderful” company!
Additional Information
Based on tax records, between 2022 2015 The Resnick Foundation has funneled to a 501 3 c the American Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces which serves as the fundraising arm of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya the following;
In 2022 $200,000 between Israel’s Navy Seals and the IDF. In 2021 $228,000 between Israel’s Navy Seals and the IDF. In 2020, $328,000 went to the IDF. In 2019, $500,000 went to the IDF. In 2018, $350,000 went to the IDF. In 2017,
$350,000 went to the IDF. In 2016, $350,000 went to the IDF. In 2015, $100,00 went to the IDF.
The National Library of Israel (NLI) was gifted $12 million from the Resnick Foundation to support a range of programs including The Lynda and Stewart Resnick Fellowship anchored in the libraryʼs core areas of specialization: Israel, Judaica, Islam, and the Middle East, and Humanities.
Lynda and Stewart Resnicks have been trustees and on the board of directors of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a thinktank spun off from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee AIPAC.
The Resnick Foundation gifted $50 million to The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology to establish the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Sustainability Center for Catalysis. The Center’s activities is said to strengthen the State of Israel and its economy and bolster the Technionʼs position as a global center of innovation.
The Wonderful Company is co-run by Lynda and Stewart Resnick which includes brands like FIJI Water, POM Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, Wonderful Seedless Lemons, Teleflora, JUSTIN, JNSQ, and Landmark wines.
References:
1 https://csr.wonderful.com/articles/a-lasting-legacy -for-israel-and-the-world
2 https://mronline.org/2024/02/21/california-pistachio-billionaires-funding- israels-occupation-regime/
3 https://www.wonderful.com/press/ResnickSustainabilityCenterForCatalysis/