The maker of Trader Joe's Charles Shaw wine, known as "Two Buck Chuck," announced more than 80 permanent layoffs at its Stanislaus County headquarters last week.

Bronco Wine Co., based in Ceres, has been family-owned since 1973 and includes multiple brands, according to its website.

The layoffs were listed as part of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. The WARN Act requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 calendar days' advance notification of planned closings and mass employee layoffs.

Bronco Wine Co. and its affiliated entities, Bivio Transport and Logistics Co., LLC and WC Ag, are listed.

The notice for 81 permanent layoffs was filed and processed on Feb. 6, according to the listing. The layoffs are scheduled for April 8.

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The company cited "a significant downturn in business revenues, necessitating a major reorganization in operations and workforce," according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Eliminated positions include drivers, lift truck operators, mechanics, security officers, cellar supervisors, viticulturists and microbiology technicians, according to the publication.

Besides Charles Shaw, the Bronco Wine Co. portfolio includes Rosenblum Cellars, Carmenet, Picket Fence, Crane Lake Cellars and Longevity Wines.

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Charles Shaw wine history

Fred Franzia, the California winemaker who created the Charles Shaw wine brand, died in September 2022 at the age of 79.

In 1973, he founded Bronco Wine Company in Ceres, in the San Joaquin Valley, south of Stockton, with his brother Joseph and cousin John.

Wine Spectator labeled Franzia the "Bad Boy of California Wine” for his contempt of high-end wine and the company began buying bankrupt vineyards in the '80s. Bronco acquired the Charles Shaw name in 1995 for just $25,000, Wine Spectator reported.

That led to Bronco Wines launching the Charles Shaw wine for $1.99 at Trader Joe's stores in California in 2002.

The layoffs come after a handful of small wineries including Carlisle, Tarpon and Vinca Minor, have shut down, according to the Chronicle, and large-scale companies like Southern Glazer reportedly laid off hundreds of employees last fall.

Mike Snider contributed to this report.

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at [email protected], 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.