Macias teams up with FRUSA to market one of California's earlier Navel deals
Macias teams up with FRUSA to market one of California's earlier Navel deals
MARICOPA, CA -- Grower Keith Mori, owner of FRUSA Cal. Corp. in Los Angeles, is "the finest grower I have ever seen, and I have worked for an awful lot of growers," said Richard Spalding, sales manager at FRUSA. "I have worked for some amazing [growers]. I have worked for Sam Perricone. I have worked for Blue Banner. I have worked for Bee Sweet, [and Mr. Mori] is by far, hands down, the finest grower I have seen. The fruit is just spectacular" in size, color and quality.
FRUSA, which is short for Fruit USA, expects to have about 750,000 boxes of Navel oranges and 250,000 boxes of Valencias this year, according to Mr. Spalding. The oranges are being grown in an early district in the San Joaquin Valley, southeast of Bakersfield, and will be packed at a packingshed located right on the ranch.
Last year, the FRUSA Navels were marketed by Seald-Sweet. Mr. Spaulding, who recently came aboard as sales manager, took over sales of the company's early Valencia deal last winter, which was strictly an export deal. For the new Navel season, which was expected to start the second or third week of October, FRUSA and Mario Macias Co. Inc. in Bakersfield have teamed up to handle the sales.
"Richard and I have been friends for many years, and we've both been in the produce business for a long time," said Mario Macias, owner of Mario Macias Co. "He called me and said he was going to need some assistance to help move some volume on citrus, so he brought me in to assist him in the sales in the Navels."
Clarifying the nature of the alliance, Mr. Macias explained, "I'll be working for FRUSA, assisting them in sales, with Richard being the sales manager of the operation."
Mr. Spalding has been in the citrus business "as long as I have known him," said Mr. Macias, who himself brings years of sales experience to the team. "He is going to guide us through this program."
With the quality of the fruit, the capabilities of the packing facility and the way "the market is set up this year, I think it is nothing but very positive for the grower," Mr. Macias said. "Hopefully, he will have a very good and successful season with us, so we can ago forward with bigger programs next year."
FRUSA held an open house Sept. 20 at its packing facility, here. "We had nothing but exporters here - and not small exporters," said Mr. Spalding. After touring the facility and the adjoining citrus groves, "everybody said the same thing. '[The fruit] is spectacular. Let me know when you get started. We are ready to roll.'" All of them were impressed "with the fruit, the packinghouse, the whole operation," Mr. Spalding said.
The first Navels to be harvested on the ranch would be the Fisher variety, and when The Produce News visited the site Sept. 27, the fruit size on the first groves scheduled for harvest was already impressive, even though they had some three weeks yet to grow. Sugar was also coming on nicely, according to Mr. Spalding, who said the fruit had tested at 10 Brix two weeks earlier, more than a month before harvest.
Mr. Spalding expected that FRUSA would have the earliest Navels in the industry this year. "It is the first year that we will be before Sunkist," and that meant that FRUSA would "set the market," he said. "This is going to be an excellent year for the grower. The grower finally wins one."
About the third week of November, "we will go into Fukumotos," and those will be followed by Washington Navels, Mr. Spalding said. But Fishers will account for the largest volume. They will start the season off, but they will also "continue on through."
Although some Fishers will be exported, the export season starts in earnest with the Fukumotos, he said.
FRUSA's Navel harvest will continue through about the end of February. "Then we will start the Vals," Mr. Spalding said. The company has an early and short Valencia season, running from the end of February through the first part of April. As was the case last year, he expects the Valencias to all go to export. Mr. Spalding's daughter, Kara Spalding, will be joining him on sales this year.
FRUSA, which is short for Fruit USA, expects to have about 750,000 boxes of Navel oranges and 250,000 boxes of Valencias this year, according to Mr. Spalding. The oranges are being grown in an early district in the San Joaquin Valley, southeast of Bakersfield, and will be packed at a packingshed located right on the ranch.
Last year, the FRUSA Navels were marketed by Seald-Sweet. Mr. Spaulding, who recently came aboard as sales manager, took over sales of the company's early Valencia deal last winter, which was strictly an export deal. For the new Navel season, which was expected to start the second or third week of October, FRUSA and Mario Macias Co. Inc. in Bakersfield have teamed up to handle the sales.
"Richard and I have been friends for many years, and we've both been in the produce business for a long time," said Mario Macias, owner of Mario Macias Co. "He called me and said he was going to need some assistance to help move some volume on citrus, so he brought me in to assist him in the sales in the Navels."
Clarifying the nature of the alliance, Mr. Macias explained, "I'll be working for FRUSA, assisting them in sales, with Richard being the sales manager of the operation."
Mr. Spalding has been in the citrus business "as long as I have known him," said Mr. Macias, who himself brings years of sales experience to the team. "He is going to guide us through this program."
With the quality of the fruit, the capabilities of the packing facility and the way "the market is set up this year, I think it is nothing but very positive for the grower," Mr. Macias said. "Hopefully, he will have a very good and successful season with us, so we can ago forward with bigger programs next year."
FRUSA held an open house Sept. 20 at its packing facility, here. "We had nothing but exporters here - and not small exporters," said Mr. Spalding. After touring the facility and the adjoining citrus groves, "everybody said the same thing. '[The fruit] is spectacular. Let me know when you get started. We are ready to roll.'" All of them were impressed "with the fruit, the packinghouse, the whole operation," Mr. Spalding said.
The first Navels to be harvested on the ranch would be the Fisher variety, and when The Produce News visited the site Sept. 27, the fruit size on the first groves scheduled for harvest was already impressive, even though they had some three weeks yet to grow. Sugar was also coming on nicely, according to Mr. Spalding, who said the fruit had tested at 10 Brix two weeks earlier, more than a month before harvest.
Mr. Spalding expected that FRUSA would have the earliest Navels in the industry this year. "It is the first year that we will be before Sunkist," and that meant that FRUSA would "set the market," he said. "This is going to be an excellent year for the grower. The grower finally wins one."
About the third week of November, "we will go into Fukumotos," and those will be followed by Washington Navels, Mr. Spalding said. But Fishers will account for the largest volume. They will start the season off, but they will also "continue on through."
Although some Fishers will be exported, the export season starts in earnest with the Fukumotos, he said.
FRUSA's Navel harvest will continue through about the end of February. "Then we will start the Vals," Mr. Spalding said. The company has an early and short Valencia season, running from the end of February through the first part of April. As was the case last year, he expects the Valencias to all go to export. Mr. Spalding's daughter, Kara Spalding, will be joining him on sales this year.
