A store owner in Kitchener, Ontario, an hour west of Toronto, is waiting to hear whether he has captured the Guinness world record for largest clementine display.
Regardless of whether Mike Renkema achieves his goal, it’s safe to say the more than 1.3 million Moroccan clementines stacked in the parking lot in front of Dutchie’s Fresh Market on Nov. 29 will be talked about for years to come.
The idea was born when Renkema and Christian Sarraino, a vice president for citrus importer Fresh Taste, at the Ontario Food Terminal, began joking about creating a big display at the small independent supermarket and perhaps breaking a record.
Fresh Taste partners with the Maroc Fruit Board to handle Magic Carpet brand clementines.
The idea grew until Renkema decided to take a shot at the record.
Previous records comprised 25 skids of California Cuties mandarins, Fresh Taste vice president Julian Sarraino said.
It created a traffic jam on the street next to the store as drivers came across a wall of orange.
The Sarraino brothers and their father, Sal, ended up helping Dutchie’s staff sell 5-pound crates of clementines throughout the day inside and outside the store.
“One guy bought 10 cases!” Christian said.
Dutchie’s Fresh Market is also being considered for other records, including most pieces of fruit in a display at a single retail location and heaviest display.
The Guinness organization is reviewing the receipts to verify the weight of the fruit.
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