Shuman Farms keeping quality and service at forefront this Vidalia® season

Shuman Farms, located in Reidsville, GA, the heart of the Vidalia growing region in Southeast Georgia, has been in the Vidalia onion industry for two generations. 

The Vidalia onion is the most famous onion in the world, and it created the sweet onion category.

“We started out as a small family farm in the mid-1980s,” said John Shuman, president and CEO of Shuman Farms, who restarted the family business in the ’90s and rebuilt it into what it is today.

In 1998, thanks to the consumer popularity of Vidalia onions and demands from retailers in the Southeast U.S., Shuman Farms began growing premium sweet onions in Peru, developing what has become a vertically integrated program allowing the company to ship sweet onions 12 months out of the year. 

Shuman Farms’ RealSweet brand was launched at retail in 2001, and its Mr. Buck’s Farm Fresh brand was created in 2020 to honor Mr. Buck Shuman, John’s father.

In 2021, Shuman Farms introduced RealSweet Rubies, a new innovative brand of sweet red onions to the sweet onion category.

“Today, Shuman Farms is a vertically integrated, industry-leading, year-round grower and shipper of premium Vidalia and sweet onions,” Shuman said. “At Shuman Farms, integrity and humility shape our mission to serve, sustain, innovate, and give back. We treat our customers like family, consistently delivering only the highest quality of products available.”

The company understands the importance of sustainability and the role it plays in the people, farms, products, community and planet.

“We continually strive to lead research-driven innovation with consumers in mind,” Shuman said. “We believe in making a difference in the communities where our products are sold.”

As the company prepares for the upcoming Vidalia onion season, Shuman Farms is wrapping up an extensive renovation of its packing facility in Cobbtown, GA. Upgrades and changes to the repack room include the installation of a new grader, which will increase productivity and efficiency and will positively impact its ability to service customers. Renovations are expected to be complete over the next few weeks ahead of Vidalia season.

“Consumers wait eight months of the year for Vidalia season and Shuman Farms focuses our marketing and promotion programs on creating excitement ahead of the season and educating shoppers on how to select, prepare, and cook with Vidalias during the season, especially in May when Vidalias are at their peak,” Shuman said. “Vidalias are sweet, mild, and versatile, making them the perfect item to start any dish. Our in-store POS materials and bins are designed to inspire any home chef with quick, easy, and delicious recipes.”

Shuman Farms encourages produce teams to celebrate Vidalia season by building displays that announce the arrival of the crop and create a destination for customers to stock up on their favorite onion. 

“Since Vidalias are such a versatile ingredient, we also recommend building secondary displays with complimentary items such as salad mixes, peppers, tomatoes, summer squash, and more,” Shuman said.

In June, Shuman Farms will shift gears to focus its messaging on giving back to those who face food insecurity across the U.S.

“As farmers and food producers, it is our responsibility to do anything we can to help the hunger crisis in America,” Shuman said. “June is particularly hard for children and families who rely on free or reduced meals from school but are now on summer break. We will be shipping our special Feeding America Vidalia bags throughout the month to elevate this cause, in addition to providing a donation of 100,000 meals to Feeding America.”

The company’s Healthy Family Project team will also be running its Produce for Kids in-store campaigns at several retail partners across the country. Since its inception in 2002, Healthy Family Project has donated more than $7.5 million and 18 million meals to Feeding America.