Promotions Aid OJ Sales

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Marketing, Orange Juice

The demand for orange juice (OJ) would decline by 11.3% without the awareness produced by Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) promotional activities, the Florida Citrus Commission was told in December. Marisa Zansler, FDOC economic and market research director, delivered that message in summarizing a recent report by Lisa House, chair of the University of Florida’s Food and Resource Economics Department. …

PIECES OF THE PAST: Doing Together What Cannot Be Done Alone

Josh McGill Pieces of the Past

By Brenda Eubanks Burnette Frank Sullivan III, of Sullivan Victory Groves, recently gave me a few boxes of his gift fruit catalogs, books, records and memorabilia for the Citrus Archives. Since December always reminds me of sending gift fruit to friends and family, it’s only appropriate that I share this story. One of the items he donated was a booklet …

Dreyfus Orange Juice Has 30% Less Sugar

Tacy Callies Orange Juice

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) has announced the development of a new product made from not-from-concentrate (NFC) orange juice that offers a 30% reduction in natural sugar content. The new product has more than triple the dietary fiber content while preserving original taste (Brix value) and vitamin C level, the company stated.     The product is the result of a five-year effort …

OJ Sales Impacted by Inflation

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice, sales

Approximately 67% of total orange juice (OJ) is consumed through retail channels, and as much as 93% of not-from-concentrate (NFC) OJ is consumed through retail channels. The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) learned these statistics at its Oct. 26 meeting. Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Economic and Market Research Director Marisa Zansler provided the information, along with other citrus juice sales …

Department of Citrus Budget Reduced Slightly

Josh McGill Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Oct. 26 approved a Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) 2022–23 budget that is only $123,000 less than a preliminary budget approved in June. Approval of the $29.795 million budget came less than a month after Hurricane Ian knocked much of the state’s citrus crop to the ground and damaged trees. The FCC serves as …

Consumer Responses to High Grocery Prices

Josh McGill Economics, Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

By Marisa L. Zansler and Lijun (Angelia) Chen Throughout 2022, consumer demand for goods and services remained strong despite the highest rate of inflation in 40 years. Many Americans resumed leisure travel and purchased luxury items, such as new cars. Movement of Florida citrus products remained near 2019 levels. Consumers were spending vigorously at grocery stores even as prices increased. …

Gift Fruit Marketing Plan Set

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Fresh, Marketing

The Gift Fruit Shippers Advisory Council on Sept. 22 agreed with a Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC)-recommended marketing program that includes driving consumers to the Florida Gift Fruit website. The program will begin in early November and conclude in mid-February with a strong focus on gift-giving messaging. This will come to life through social channels via organic and paid social …

Nurseries Approved for Expedited Propagation Program

Josh McGill Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, nurseries

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on Aug. 24 approved agreements with 25 nurseries for the Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees. The nurseries are: Agromillora Florida Inc. Ben Hill Griffin Inc. Blue Heron Nurseries LLC Brewer Citrus LLC Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery LLC Citrific Holdings Inc. CitriSun Nurseries LLC Cutrale Farms Inc. Dilley Citrus Nursery Inc. …

Non-Certified Donaldson Trees: Limited Availability for Growers

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, HLB Management

The Florida Department of Citrus’ Program for Expedited Propagation (PEP) of HLB-tolerant and resistant trees was conceived during the 2022 Florida legislative session following the discovery of the Donaldson tree among the collection at Whitmore Farms. The goal is to provide the resources needed to ramp up availability of Donaldson trees and others like it, so that growers interested in …

florida

CRDF Board Acts on Research Recommendations

Josh McGill CRDF, Research

The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors spent much of its monthly meeting in July considering recommendations from the foundation’s research management committee (RMC). TRACKING TREESThe RMC recommended that a request for proposals be put forth to create an inventory of all germplasm existing in field trials from the plant breeding programs CRDF has helped to fund. …

Expedited Tree Propagation Program Approved

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, HLB Management, nurseries

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July 20 approved the Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) plan for implementation of the Program for Expedited Propagation of HLB Tolerant and Resistant Trees (PEP). The program’s goal is to provide resources needed to ramp up the availability of the apparently HLB-tolerant Donaldson tree and others like it. The FDOC received $1 million in …

HLB-Tolerant Tree Program Progressing

Tacy Callies Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus, HLB Management

The goal of an expedited tree propagation program is to have several million HLB-tolerant or HLB-resistant trees planted in the next several years. Greg Hodges, assistant director of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Division of Plant Industry (DPI), said he believes that goal is attainable. Hodges and others presented the propagation plans to the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) on July …

orange juice

Barriers to Buying Orange Juice

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

The Florida Citrus Commission (FCC) recently heard a report that 13% of consumers surveyed in June said the increased price of buying orange juice (OJ) is a barrier. Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) Director of Economic and Market Research Marisa Zansler provided that information to the FDOC’s governing board. Zansler also reported that 5% of consumers said they were less …

Citrus Health Benefits Research Update

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Research

Florida Department of Citrus-funded research into the health benefits of citrus products was among the highlights of a 2021–22 update the Florida Citrus Commission received in June. Rosa Walsh, director of scientific research at the department, provided the update. The update included three new publications on additional analyses of the Eurecat study on the impact of orange juice (OJ) and …

Preliminary Department of Citrus Budget Approved

Josh McGill financial, Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Citrus Commission on June 15 approved a preliminary 2022–23 operating budget for the Florida Department of Citrus of $29.9 million. The preliminary budget includes $19.125 million in general revenue funding from the state of Florida for marketing, research and administration. The majority of the budget will fund domestic marketing programs aimed at driving sales of Florida orange juice (OJ). …

Inflation Impacts OJ Consumers

Josh McGill Economics, Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) economist Marisa Zansler discussed orange juice (OJ) volume movement and the potential impacts inflation may have on the category at the May 18 Florida Citrus Commission meeting. She also addressed the importance of ongoing marketing activities to support sales even as supply constraints continue. Inflation is persistently up across all goods, with shelter, food, airline …

Maintaining Demand for OJ Amid Supply-Shortage Concerns

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

By Marisa L. Zansler Over the last 20 years, the Florida citrus industry has faced many challenges, from destructive diseases, hurricanes, production cost increases, and, now in 2022, the devastation of a winter freeze. As a result, Florida citrus production has declined considerably. During the 2021–22 season, there is a 26% decline in volume movement compared to the prior season. …

Discussing OJ Health Benefits With Dietitians

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Orange Juice

For the first time since 2019, the Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) connected face-to-face in late May with hundreds of registered dietitians to discuss the health benefits of Florida orange juice. Today’s Dietitian Spring Symposium included an opportunity to educate the dietitians at an exhibit booth and present recent research about the impact of 100% orange juice on inflammation and …

How OJ Will Be Marketed in 2022–23

Josh McGill Florida Department of Citrus, Marketing, Orange Juice

The Florida Department of Citrus’ (FDOC) 2022–23 orange juice (OJ) marketing plan will have a few shifts in retail partners and tactics to help ensure Florida OJ remains top of mind. Karmen Johnson of Edible, the FDOC’s marketing agency, shared an overview of the 2022–23 strategic focus, audience insights and integrated communications plan with the Florida Citrus Commission on May …

Citrus Department Proposes Preliminary 2022–23 Budget

Josh McGill financial, Florida Citrus Commission, Florida Department of Citrus

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) in May proposed a preliminary 2022–23 operating budget of $31.4 million to the Florida Citrus Commission, its governing body. The 2021–22 operating budget was $29 million. Global marketing and public relations represent the bulk of the 2022–23 budget at $22.9 million, a 3.5% reduction from the previous season. The proposed orange budget will increase …