Sunkist Growers is kicking off summer citrus season at United Fresh 2014, showcasing fresh recipe and usage ideas to help retailers drive consumer excitement about citrus during the warm summer months.

“From healthy breakfast smoothies, to crowd-pleasing barbeque dishes and refreshing cocktails, Sunkist citrus is the perfect ingredient to zest up your favorite summertime recipes,” Joan Wickham, Sunkist advertising and public relations manager, said in a press release. “We are pleased to share Sunkist’s latest citrus inspirations with our trade partners at United Fresh 2014.”Sunkist's Green Juice, a mix of grapefruit, orange juice, apple cider, ginger and green kale.

Leveraging current juicing and mixology trends, Sunkist is collaborating with Vitamix at United Fresh 2014 to inspire both the trade and consumers to squeeze the most out of summer citrus with the power of Vitamix blenders. Visitors to the Sunkist booth will be able to enjoy an energizing Sunkist Green Juice in the morning to jumpstart their day, and a blended Sunkist Super Citrus Margarita in the afternoon. Both recipes will be made to order using Vitamix machines.

“Sunkist is pleased to be partnering with Vitamix and empowering consumers with ingredients and tools that can improve their vitality,” Wickham said in the release. “We hope our collaboration will inspire consumers to enjoy Sunkist citrus in new and innovative ways using Vitamix’s powerful equipment.”

While visiting the Sunkist booth, attendees can learn more about Sunkist Family Stories, a multimedia storytelling project featuring the cooperative’s multi-generational farmers. Offering a glimpse into the life of today’s modern farmer, Sunkist has developed point-of-sale materials to help consumers learn and experience how much effort and love goes into growing fresh, premium Sunkist citrus.

“Now more than ever, consumers are interested in the origins of their food,” Sunkist Director of Retail Marketing Julie DeWolf said in the release. “As a cooperative of thousands of California and Arizona growers, Sunkist has many powerful stories to tell about our farmers. We will have a number of point-of-sale options available to assist retailers in sharing Sunkist Family Stories with consumers to help drive sales.”

Sunkist will also be displaying its “Not Your Mother’s Grapefruit” packaging and point-of-sale materials at its booth. “Not Your Mother’s Grapefruit” reminds consumers that while times have changed, the nutrient-rich grapefruit continues to provide tangy pleasures for the taste buds, and benefits to the immune system, year-round. Geared toward millennial women, the campaign not only educates about the health and weight-loss benefits of grapefruit but also provides modern usage ideas, recipes and tips.

Renowned chef Jill Davie will also be at the Sunkist booth serving her citrus-inspired Sunkist Lemon Pesto Shrimp Crostini and Sunkist Orange Chipotle Turkey Tacos.

To learn more about Sunkist’s more than 40 citrus varieties, supporting campaigns and merchandising, attendees can visit Booth No. 532 at United Fresh 2014 or visit www.sunkist.com.