Sunkist: Leading the way in high-quality organic citrus production

Sunkist Growers, Inc. is the longest-standing agriculture co-op in the U.S. Its roots date back to 1893, when founders P.J. Dreher and his son Edward L. Dreher, helped form the Southern California Fruit Exchange, uniting regional growers to sell and market oranges.

“California oranges were branded ‘Sunkist’ by the exchange in 1908, and the California Fruit Exchange officially changed its name to Sunkist Growers in 1952,” said Cassie Howard, senior director of category management and marketing at the Valencia, CA-based company. “Since then, the Sunkist brand has been synonymous with high-quality citrus grown in California and Arizona, available for consumers around the world to enjoy.” 

Cassie Howard, Senior Director of Category Management, Sunkist Growers

Today, over 2,000 Sunkist growers produce nearly 40 different citrus varieties in California and Arizona, and every single one of the varieties has its own personality and flavor, making Sunkist a one-stop shop for retail and foodservice customers and helping the company provide a consistent, year-round supply of organic citrus, which includes oranges, lemons, grapefruit and mandarins.   

Sunkist’s growers reflect the values and legacy of the company’s long history: family-owned farms where traditional growing practices, stewardship of natural resources and a dedication to innovation are proudly passed down through the generations.

“Sunkist has been a proud provider of USDA-certified organic citrus for two decades—our extensive marketing toolkit includes distinctive packaging, category insights, and innovative shopper-marketing programs to grow the category,” Howard said. “We have a number of organic citrus offerings from oranges and lemons to grapefruit and mandarins, and our growers work hard to offer quality organic citrus that everyone can enjoy.”

“Sunkist has been a proud provider of USDA-certified organic citrus for two decades—our extensive marketing toolkit includes distinctive packaging, category insights, and innovative shopper-marketing programs to grow the category. We have a number of organic citrus offerings from oranges and lemons to grapefruit and mandarins, and our growers work hard to offer quality organic citrus that everyone can enjoy.” - Cassie Howard

Its broad portfolio of organics includes Navel, Cara Cara and Valencia oranges, as well as Minneola tangelos, mandarins, grapefruit, lemons and limes.
 
In addition to growing, harvesting and delivering top-quality citrus year over year, Sunkist knows it’s important to understand customers' needs and the ever-changing shopper behaviors. Recently, Sunkist launched a new survey focusing on organic shoppers to better understand the motivations and drivers of these consumers to help tailor its messaging to resonate with what matters most. 

“Nearly one-third of organic shoppers prioritize organic fruit over other organic categories in the store, while they also reported learning more about organic growing practices, [which are] the biggest drivers to trying organic products,” Howard said. “Like conventional citrus shoppers, in-store promotions and displays are an important part of the shopping experience for this consumer.”
 
The organic citrus category is expected to remain competitive, with one in four consumers revealing they always purchase organic citrus when given the choice. The survey showed that increased consumer interest in food origin and traceability is an important decision-making factor.   

“Nearly one-third of organic shoppers prioritize organic fruit over other organic categories in the store, while they also reported learning more about organic growing practices, [which are] the biggest drivers to trying organic products." - Cassie Howard
 
“Along with our category insights and customizable marketing support, our sales team works with our customers and offers bulk and bag items across all organic citrus varieties, including organic display masters, full cartons and a variety of bag styles and sizes for lemons, oranges, grapefruits, as well as California mandarins, which we know help grow the category,” Howard said.
 
As part of Sunkist’s ongoing commitment to its organic program, the company has been actively adding new organic growers to its Sunkist family, helping to solidify its position as a year-round supplier of organic citrus.