Homegrown Organic Farms announced Sept. 9 the growth of its organic citrus program by partnering with Buena Vista Packing in Kern County, Calif. The company called the partnership a strategic alliance, saying it allows Homegrown to expand capacity and better serve customers through an additional loading location in the southern San Joaquin Valley.
Through this new partnership, Homegrown Organic Farms will handle organic citrus from Buena Vista’s farms, representing a 20% increase in program volume. The added supply also introduces the Daisy mandarin to the program, the company says.
“This collaboration with Buena Vista Packing is about more than just growth, it’s about creating alignment with like-minded partners who share our values and vision for organics,” says Scott Mabs, CEO of Homegrown Organic Farms, in a news release. “Together, we’re able to expand our citrus program and continue delivering the highest quality organic fruit to our customers.”
Craig Morris, citrus and grape category director at Homegrown Organic Farms, adds: “The additional fruit from Buena Vista enhances our program in exciting ways. It gives us another varietal to offer, stronger continuity of supply and the ability to better serve our retail and foodservice partners with consistency and reliability.”
“We know this partnership will have a meaningful impact on our business, our growers and our customers, and we’re excited about the opportunities it creates moving forward,” Mabs adds.
Alongside this new facility partnership in Bakersfield, Homegrown Organic Farms will continue operating from its Kingsburg cold storage and Riverside loading facilities.
