Sunkist Expands Organic Portfolio
February 3, 2016 
Sunkist organic lemons being harvested at the Donlon Ranch in Ventura County, CA by Jane and Ned Donlon, 5th and 6th generation growers, respectively.
Organics is the fastest growing segment in agriculture, and increasing demand for organic citrus bolsters this trend.
Retail sales of organic citrus in the U.S. were up 14% in 2015 according to IRI Worldwide Data, meaning that organic citrus is growing nearly three times faster than conventional citrus.
“Consumers are broadening their food choices, and we’re seeing that in the growth of organics,” said Joan Wickham, Manager of Advertising and Public Relations for Sunkist. “With more acreage coming into production, Sunkist has a growing supply of organics to meet this increasing demand.”
Sunkist, which is headquartered in Valencia, CA, offers a broad portfolio of organics including ‘Navel,’ ‘Cara Cara Navel,’ and ‘Valencia’ oranges, mandarins, Minneolas, grapefruit, lemons, and limes. Paired with a strong supply of conventional citrus, Sunkist is able to supply retailers’ entire citrus program.
“Sunkist offers retailers both conventional and organic citrus to meet expanding consumer demands,” said Sunkist Director of Retail Marketing Julie DeWolf. “We also offer retailers tools to promote citrus in their stores and drive sales, including materials that educate consumers about our growers’ commitment to providing safe, quality fruit while also preserving the land for future generations.” ●
SIDEBAR:
Sunkist Is Sweet On Lemons
Sunkist is excited about the opportunity that all organic citrus offers them, says Joan Wickham, Manager of Advertising and Public Relations, but one category that is growing particularly quickly when it comes to organic demand is lemons.
“With so many consumers using the entire lemon — whether to flavor their water, or zest the aromatic peel into their favorite recipes, there is significant demand for organic lemons,” she says, “and we see similar growth for other varieties as demand for organics grows overall, and consumers continue using citrus in new ways.” ●
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