California subsidiary to help round out Seald-Sweet's offerings
California subsidiary to help round out Seald-Sweet's offerings
Vero Beach, FL-based Seald-Sweet announced the opening of Seald-Sweet West International Inc. in Visalia, CA. In making the announcement, Seald-Sweet Senior Vice Presidents David Mixon and Mayda Sotomayor also announced that David Muse has joined the company and will immediately assume the position of vice president of operations, sales and marketing at the new location.
"This will enable Seald-Sweet to provide its customers with a full line of citrus varieties from all major domestic growing areas," said Mr. Mixon. Previously, we were handling California citrus but not in the manner we prefer. Now, with our alignment with growers and packers, we are fully integrated. We feel that an integrated culture is imperative to maintaining a position as a major supplier.
As part of its California operations, Seald-Sweet has also entered into exclusive service agreements with two California citrus packinghouses, Frusa in Taft, CA, and Surabian & Sons Packing Co. in Dinuba, CA. Mr. Mixon said that other California packinghouses will also be packing Seald-Sweet's brands under the supervision of the companys quality-control staff.
Seald-Sweet West International, combined with the companys other agreements in the country, now enables the company to have a direct grower-packer base to round out its citrus category with offerings from California, Florida and Texas, as well as through its import program. The California subsidiary completes Seald-Sweets goal of providing a full selection of domestic citrus.
Mr. Mixon said that the companys growers and packers share Seald-Sweets philosophy that market-driven processes are needed today to ensure success.
Mr. Muse was formerly with Export Select LLC in Visalia, CA. He said that the fit with Seald-Sweet could not be better.
We share the same immediate and long-term goals, both internationally and domestically, said Mr. Muse. I look forward to being an integral part in the future success of the Seald-Sweet and Uni-Veg operations.
Mr. Muse brings with him industry knowledge and grower, packer and customer relationships, Mr. Mixon said. His experience and knowledge of the industry will help to expand Seald-Sweets California operations and product supply. He has experience working for many of the produce industrys leading companies, including Paramount, Sunkist, Dole and Blue Goose.
Seald-Sweets California offerings will encompass all citrus varieties, including Navels, lemons, grapefruit, Fairchilds, Minneolas, Valencias, Cara Caras and clementines. The first Seald-Sweet California citrus shipments will begin with the seasonal fruit harvest this month.
The completion of the agreements will place in excess of 3 million packages of California citrus under the companys labels. Its strategy includes continuing its expansion in California through further agreements, which will be announced in the next few months. Also to be announced is a new program that involves organically grown citrus.
The California alliances also enable Seald-Sweet to expand into a West Coast import program. Mr. Mixon explained that the company will utilize the sophisticated global logistics, sales and quality-control operations already developed by Seald-Sweet on the East Coast.
Seald-Sweets international program currently includes product grown in South Africa, Uruguay Morocco, Spain, Chile, Argentina and Mexico, he said. As part of our import process, product now comes into Philadelphia for East Coast distribution. A West Coast importation process will enable us to service customers in that part of the country in a more expedient and efficient manner. Overall, we are very excited about expanding our citrus category with the new California location, the dynamic and highly qualified staff members who are joining us, and the high-quality growers and packers we will be working with in the state.
In December, Seald-Sweet announced that it had been acquired by the Belgium-based Uni-Veg Group. Owned by Hein Deprez, Uni-Veg owns produce growing, packing and marketing companies throughout world. In May, Seald-Sweet announced its deal to globally market the fresh citrus of Edinburg Citrus, a long-established leader in the Texas citrus business.
"This will enable Seald-Sweet to provide its customers with a full line of citrus varieties from all major domestic growing areas," said Mr. Mixon. Previously, we were handling California citrus but not in the manner we prefer. Now, with our alignment with growers and packers, we are fully integrated. We feel that an integrated culture is imperative to maintaining a position as a major supplier.
As part of its California operations, Seald-Sweet has also entered into exclusive service agreements with two California citrus packinghouses, Frusa in Taft, CA, and Surabian & Sons Packing Co. in Dinuba, CA. Mr. Mixon said that other California packinghouses will also be packing Seald-Sweet's brands under the supervision of the companys quality-control staff.
Seald-Sweet West International, combined with the companys other agreements in the country, now enables the company to have a direct grower-packer base to round out its citrus category with offerings from California, Florida and Texas, as well as through its import program. The California subsidiary completes Seald-Sweets goal of providing a full selection of domestic citrus.
Mr. Mixon said that the companys growers and packers share Seald-Sweets philosophy that market-driven processes are needed today to ensure success.
Mr. Muse was formerly with Export Select LLC in Visalia, CA. He said that the fit with Seald-Sweet could not be better.
We share the same immediate and long-term goals, both internationally and domestically, said Mr. Muse. I look forward to being an integral part in the future success of the Seald-Sweet and Uni-Veg operations.
Mr. Muse brings with him industry knowledge and grower, packer and customer relationships, Mr. Mixon said. His experience and knowledge of the industry will help to expand Seald-Sweets California operations and product supply. He has experience working for many of the produce industrys leading companies, including Paramount, Sunkist, Dole and Blue Goose.
Seald-Sweets California offerings will encompass all citrus varieties, including Navels, lemons, grapefruit, Fairchilds, Minneolas, Valencias, Cara Caras and clementines. The first Seald-Sweet California citrus shipments will begin with the seasonal fruit harvest this month.
The completion of the agreements will place in excess of 3 million packages of California citrus under the companys labels. Its strategy includes continuing its expansion in California through further agreements, which will be announced in the next few months. Also to be announced is a new program that involves organically grown citrus.
The California alliances also enable Seald-Sweet to expand into a West Coast import program. Mr. Mixon explained that the company will utilize the sophisticated global logistics, sales and quality-control operations already developed by Seald-Sweet on the East Coast.
Seald-Sweets international program currently includes product grown in South Africa, Uruguay Morocco, Spain, Chile, Argentina and Mexico, he said. As part of our import process, product now comes into Philadelphia for East Coast distribution. A West Coast importation process will enable us to service customers in that part of the country in a more expedient and efficient manner. Overall, we are very excited about expanding our citrus category with the new California location, the dynamic and highly qualified staff members who are joining us, and the high-quality growers and packers we will be working with in the state.
In December, Seald-Sweet announced that it had been acquired by the Belgium-based Uni-Veg Group. Owned by Hein Deprez, Uni-Veg owns produce growing, packing and marketing companies throughout world. In May, Seald-Sweet announced its deal to globally market the fresh citrus of Edinburg Citrus, a long-established leader in the Texas citrus business.
