California Dairies came to [Big-D] and they said “Hey we want a team. We don’t want to lowball this thing. We want to make sure that we have a project that we can be proud of, and we want to make sure that we work with contractors that are going to help us to succeed.” – Bryan Willis, Project Director, Big D Construction
What set the Valley Natural Beverages project apart wasn’t just the quality of the finished product, it was the strength of the team that brought it to life. At M3, we believe the foundation of any successful project is the culture that drives it, and Valley Natural Beverages (VNB) was a powerful example of that belief in action.
This project was more than a jobsite, it became a tight-knit community built on our core values: teamwork, excellence, and perseverance. With the team working hours away from home for extended periods, facing long hours, early mornings, and weekends apart from their families, the challenges were real. But rather than let those challenges take a toll, the crew leaned in, supported one another, and built something greater than the scope of work itself.
“A lot of the guys we hired in house were from Bakersfield, so we wanted to start an afterhours softball, basketball [to] try to come together and work together. That way we know we all got along well so [it] made the workload a lot easier to be able to work with someone you trust.” – Sione Vaka, Project Foreman, M3 MEP
The decision to start a softball team kicked off a ripple effect that transformed team dynamics. Weekly games brought together people from different trades and companies, and the laughter, shared meals, and inside jokes built camaraderie. The connection on the field translated on-site: communication improved, trust deepened, and the team moved with more coordination and energy. The field became a place to reset and reconnect, and the project became more than just a job. It became something people were proud to be part of.
The Valley Natural Beverages project reminded us that great culture doesn’t just happen. It’s created in everyday moments when people step up for each other not out of obligation, but out of genuine care. It’s built in the laughter on the ballfield, a foreman checking in on a teammate, or the quiet pride of showing up and giving your best day after day.
“All of our subcontractors have a great respect for each other and that’s really what brings the project up so quick. There’s no way you can build a project this fast without having respect through all the trades.” – Bryan Willis, Project Director, Big-D Construction
What the VNB crew created is something we aim to replicate on every M3 job. A place where people are seen and supported, and a team that pushes for quality and sticks together no matter what challenges they face. The Valley Natural Beverages job didn’t just leave behind a completed facility, it left behind a legacy. A story we’ll carry with us of how a great team, guided by shared values and a little fun, can build something truly long-lasting.
“As I get the chance to reflect honestly, I’m very proud of what’s been done here … You can talk to a lot of the people that have been part of this project and one of the things they’re going to share that is unique for this project, and even unique for me, is the relationships that people have working together. It’s been a project where people have found that, you know, they can communicate effectively. Even though it’s an extremely fast build, people have been able to perform and work well together in really you know some difficult and challenging situations.” – Troy Hancock, Site Director, California Dairies
