IMG Citrus, a family-owned, vertically-integrated citrus grower, packer, and shipper in Vero Beach, FL, is reintroducing white grapefruit to the U.S. market. Most white grapefruit is exported directly from the U.S. to its primary market in Japan where it maintains consistently high popularity; however, IMG Citrus will be expanding its white grapefruit consumer base to the U.S. market, reintroducing the original, heirloom Florida grapefruit to its homeland.
More commonly known to the American consumer is red grapefruit, a mutation of white and a staple in the citrus aisle. While grapefruit in the U.S. is primarily grown in Florida, Texas, and California, Florida is the only state in the country where white grapefruit is grown. While citrus farmers in Florida have continued to replant an abundance of red grapefruit after the impact of yearly hurricanes, over the course of the past 30 to 40 years, growers have not replanted a significant amount of white grapefruit. However, with IMG Citrus’ recent acquisition of Emerald Grove in St. Lucie County, renamed the Happy Food Grove after their consumer brand, IMG Citrus is now one of the largest growers and suppliers of Florida red and white grapefruit, producing approximately 50% of all white grapefruit in Florida. Along with its 4,000-acre investment, IMG Citrus will begin selling white grapefruit in the U.S., where the company has been selling citrus domestically for decades.
A vital factor regarding the taste of white grapefruit relies significantly on the age of the tree. The older the tree, the better the taste. The vast majority of white grapefruit originating from Florida comes from trees that are more than 25 years of age. Additionally, all-white grapefruit is grown in the Indian River region, the best region for growing grapefruit. Therefore, when you eat white grapefruit from Florida, the odds for something special with a sweet, unique flavor are in your favor.
IMG Citrus will reintroduce white grapefruit to the U.S. market under their primary consumer brand, Happy Food, utilizing contemporary branding to help differentiate the newly added variety for the consumer. The Happy Food brand features happy fruit faces and bright colors, cheerfully lighting up the citrus aisle with a celebratory “be healthy, be happy” slogan. Because of white grapefruit’s unique flavor, its packaging also encourages consumers to experience its “sweet and tasty” flavor profile. IMG Citrus will have white grapefruit in promotable volumes and availability in various sizes including large sizes. Happy Food originally launched in 2013, and includes a range of citrus such as red grapefruit, juice oranges, lemons, navel oranges, mandarins, and tangos. In the future, IMG Citrus is also planning to release white grapefruit as a specialty item to consumers in Europe such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.
“When red and white grapefruit are displayed next to each other, they complement each other nicely. This type of display is very common with Japanese retailers” says Michel Sallin, IMG Citrus President, “IMG Citrus is excited to bring white grapefruit back to the U.S. market, providing consumers with more grapefruit variety.”
White grapefruit gave Florida grapefruit its original popularity, and the addition of white grapefruit to the Happy Food brand will add a welcoming new pop of color and a Florida legacy of sweetness, juiciness, and flavor to the citrus aisle.
About IMG Citrus:
IMG Citrus is a second-generation citrus grower, packer, marketer, and shipper in Vero Beach, Florida, with over 9,000 acres of productive AGland. Family owned and operated for 40 years, IMG Citrus was founded by Michel and Veronique Sallin. Born and raised on a French farm, Michel has a genuine love for sustainable agriculture, and an entrepreneurial spirit that fuels a passion for using the most innovative processes and technologies. Today, a second generation of family-operators is involved and working alongside the most professional industry leaders that make up the IMG Citrus team.
About Happy Food:
Happy Food is IMG Citrus’ primary consumer brand and is marketed in North America, Europe, and Asia. The brand features bright colors, happy fruit faces, and is used to pack citrus including grapefruit, oranges, and mandarins grown in Florida, as well as South America and Mexico. Since its launch in 2013, Happy Food continues to re-energize the citrus aisle with a cheerful, contemporary brand that promotes a healthy, happy lifestyle.
About IMG Enterprises:
IMG Enterprises, the holding company for IMG Citrus, is a Florida owned and operated family enterprise with business in citrus, ornamental tree nursery, real estate, mitigation banking, and landscape construction and maintenance. The mission of IMG Enterprises is to manage a sustainable enterprise rooted in the land which benefits its family, employees, and community while having a positive impact on the environment. With over 500 employees, the company ranks 37th on the list of Top Privately Held Companies by the Orlando Business Journal.
