THE GRAPEFRUIT REVIVAL

Florida’s Grapefruit Industry Bounces Back After Several Years of Strife

LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, MA (March 27, 2007) – Spread the good word about grapefruit!  An industry nearly destroyed in recent years by natural disasters is rebounding – invigorating news for this forgotten fruit.  The Florida grapefruit groves are recouping and this American industry is making a comeback.  It’s time to get reacquainted with the naturally invigorating taste, goodness and versatility of grapefruit.

Stemming from the “grapefruit diet” craze in the 1970’s, the industry was booming amidst strong production and consumer interest.  Florida, the world’s largest grower of grapefruit, was then hit with devastating hurricanes during back to back harvest seasons, particularly in 2005 with 26 named storms in one season.  Infamous Hurricanes including Katrina, Rita and Wilma extensively damaged many grapefruit groves leading to loss of production and higher costs to the consumer for fruit that does make it to the supermarket.

This year, grapefruit is rebounding and making its way back to the spotlight. The Florida grapefruit harvest is expected to almost double from 19 million boxes a year ago to 28 million this year.  The industry high was reached in the mid 1990’s with some 55 million boxes of grapefruit harvested. The industry is also eagerly awaiting the results of several research studies currently being conducted which could shed light on the grapefruit diet myth, as well as its role in possibly helping prevent certain types of cancer.

“This harvest season, the trees are on the mend and we are producing more grapefruit than we could have imagined after witnessing the destruction,” said Daryl Jacobs, an Ocean Spray grapefruit grower in Florida. “Grapefruit has become somewhat of a forgotten fruit in recent years. With more grapefruit available this season, we want people to get reacquainted with the other Florida citrus – the refreshingly healthy grapefruit.”

The grapefruit harvest generally takes place between October and April, when the fruit meets Ocean Spray’s stringent quality standards for the sweetest and juiciest grapefruit. Roughly 40 percent of the grapefruit harvested each season are used for juice while 60 percent are sold as fresh grapefruit. Sweet, juicy and fresh, grapefruit and grapefruit juice invigorates your taste buds while offering a variety of health benefits naturally including vitamin C, potassium and lycopene, a powerful antioxidant in pink and red grapefruit juice which may help prevent certain types of cancer, heart disease and stroke.

“We are back in a strong supply position with grapefruit this year and are thrilled to be able to promote the variety of juice products we have available, making it easy for everyone to enjoy the naturally invigorating taste and healthy goodness of grapefruit – anytime, anywhere,” said Dan Thunberg, Ocean Spray’s Grapefruit Juice Marketing Manager.

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 650 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as more than 100 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed 75 years ago by three cranberry growers from Massachusetts and New Jersey. Florida grapefruit growers joined the Cooperative in 1976. Ocean Spray is North America’s leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, and has been the best-selling brand name in the canned and bottled juice category since 1981. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2005 gross sales of about $1.4 billion.