Sun World program to aid earthquake relief
Sun World program to aid earthquake relief
Sun World lnternational LLC in Bakersfield, CA, had recently begun a new program of marketing imported Minneola tangelos from Peru when the devastating earthquake on Peru's south coast struck, with an epicenter near the agricultural community of Pisco.
The company is responding to the disaster by donating a portion of the proceeds from Peruvian Minneolas to an earthquake fund to help the victims.
According to Sun World's Mike Aiton, about 85 percent of the buildings in Pisco were leveled. Most of the people that Sun World has been working with are from the neighboring town of Ica, which was also severely affected.
"We had a guy from Peru who was here with us" when the quake occurred on Aug. 15, and he had to rush home. It hit right in the agricultural area where all of these guys are from."
Mr. Aiton said Aug. 20 that there was no word yet on what damage may have occurred to packinghouses and other produce industry infrastructure, but damage is likely, since there are several packinghouses in the area, "some very nice ones, too," he said. "They have really taken a lot of pride in doing it just right and trying to become a force in world exporting and agribusiness." Certainly many of the workers were affected.
"We are deeply saddened by the devastation of this earthquake, which has affected many of our friends and trading partners as well as countless numbers of lives," he said.
The area around Ica, Pisco and nearby Chincha, roughly 160 miles south of Lima, is a rich agricultural region that produces grapes, asparagus, citrus and various other items, according to a written statement from Sun World.
"In helping with the reconstruction of this area," Sun World has established "a sales-based recovery initiative," according to the statement. "Dating from the occurrence of the earthquake" on Aug. 15, and continuing "through the end of the [Chilean Minneola] season, retailers and other buyers will automatically participate with earthquake recovery efforts with each purchase of Peruvian Minneolas. Sun World will contribute $25 per pallet of Minneolas and acknowledge those buyers in upcoming trade publications." The funds raised will be presented to the Peruvian Minister of Agriculture "to be used in those areas of highest need."
Consumers can "play a role" in the recovery efforts by purchasing Peruvian Minneolas, which will be identifiable at retail by point-of-sale cards, the statement said. They can also follow the progress of the campaign by visiting www.sun-world.com.
"We just thought we could maybe do something on the proactive side to help all of our friends and business associates down there," and at the same time "do a little bit to get people to try Minneolas from Peru," Mr. Aiton said. "Hopefully it will raise some money" to help with the recovery efforts and also, in the process, "move some product and get people introduced to a terrific item that they may not know is out there."
Sun World has "several thousand pallets [of Peruvian Minneolas] that are in our possession or on the way," Mr. Aiton said. "They haven't all landed yet. The season's got a good five to six weeks to go."
The company is responding to the disaster by donating a portion of the proceeds from Peruvian Minneolas to an earthquake fund to help the victims.
According to Sun World's Mike Aiton, about 85 percent of the buildings in Pisco were leveled. Most of the people that Sun World has been working with are from the neighboring town of Ica, which was also severely affected.
"We had a guy from Peru who was here with us" when the quake occurred on Aug. 15, and he had to rush home. It hit right in the agricultural area where all of these guys are from."
Mr. Aiton said Aug. 20 that there was no word yet on what damage may have occurred to packinghouses and other produce industry infrastructure, but damage is likely, since there are several packinghouses in the area, "some very nice ones, too," he said. "They have really taken a lot of pride in doing it just right and trying to become a force in world exporting and agribusiness." Certainly many of the workers were affected.
"We are deeply saddened by the devastation of this earthquake, which has affected many of our friends and trading partners as well as countless numbers of lives," he said.
The area around Ica, Pisco and nearby Chincha, roughly 160 miles south of Lima, is a rich agricultural region that produces grapes, asparagus, citrus and various other items, according to a written statement from Sun World.
"In helping with the reconstruction of this area," Sun World has established "a sales-based recovery initiative," according to the statement. "Dating from the occurrence of the earthquake" on Aug. 15, and continuing "through the end of the [Chilean Minneola] season, retailers and other buyers will automatically participate with earthquake recovery efforts with each purchase of Peruvian Minneolas. Sun World will contribute $25 per pallet of Minneolas and acknowledge those buyers in upcoming trade publications." The funds raised will be presented to the Peruvian Minister of Agriculture "to be used in those areas of highest need."
Consumers can "play a role" in the recovery efforts by purchasing Peruvian Minneolas, which will be identifiable at retail by point-of-sale cards, the statement said. They can also follow the progress of the campaign by visiting www.sun-world.com.
"We just thought we could maybe do something on the proactive side to help all of our friends and business associates down there," and at the same time "do a little bit to get people to try Minneolas from Peru," Mr. Aiton said. "Hopefully it will raise some money" to help with the recovery efforts and also, in the process, "move some product and get people introduced to a terrific item that they may not know is out there."
Sun World has "several thousand pallets [of Peruvian Minneolas] that are in our possession or on the way," Mr. Aiton said. "They haven't all landed yet. The season's got a good five to six weeks to go."
