Growing Florida Citrus for the Best Orange Juice in the World!

Florida is the leading orange juice maker after Brazil. Both countries represent 90% of the world-wide orange juice production. Ninety percent of Florida oranges are utilized in orange juice production and sold mainly in the U.S. market.

The leading brands of orange juice are: Tropicana and Minute Maid/Simply Orange, owned by Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola, respectively as well as Florida's Natural, owned by a grower co-op.

Gardinier owns and operates its 1,000 acre citrus grove located in Lake Wales, Central Florida, producing 200,000 boxes of fruit with over 100,000 trees in inventory.

The variety of citrus produced is mainly Valencias, harvested each season between March and the end of June. The Valencia orange has the most sugar, is the most colorful of its categories, and is the most desired by processors.

Although this agricultural activity remains highly productive, it always needs to be ready to face weather-related events, such as freeze, hurricanes, or tropical storms, and also citrus disease that can damage crops and trees.

Gardinier has a long-term approach in managing Gardinier Florida Citrus, and remains so by resetting trees, planting new blocks, acquiring citrus properties, and also looking for opportunities to manage large tracts of citrus land for other citrus owners, as we have done in the past.