DELANO, Calif. and ORANGE COVE, Calif. – October 17, 2014 – Paramount Citrus, America’s largest citrus grower, today announced a partnership with Mulholland Citrus, one of the top California-based mandarin farming, packing and selling operations.  Paramount Citrus now becomes the exclusive sales agent for Mulholland Citrus’ mandarins.  The goal of the partnership is to expand the consumption and category of mandarins across North America by consolidating volume in the number one mandarin brand, Wonderful Halos. 

This new partnership brings together the market leader and the third largest grower/packer of mandarins in an alliance that strengthens the ability of the Halos program to broaden the branded market and reach a wider set of consumers.

Mulholland Citrus will grow and pack its mandarins under the Wonderful Halos brand through this partnership with Paramount Citrus.  Along with partner Fowler Packing, these citrus operations in the Central Valley of California are committed to guarantee the superior taste, quality, freshness and consistency that consumers have come to expect from Wonderful Halos. This is made possible by the sharing of high-standard growing, packing and shipping practices that manage production from tree to table. 

“We are focused on working with other like-minded quality farmers to grow the overall mandarin category within the citrus industry,” said David Krause, president, Paramount Citrus.  “Working closely with the highly experienced citrus growers at Mulholland Citrus is a logical next step to reinforce the transformation of mandarins into one of America’s most popular produce items.” 

In season from November to April, Wonderful Halos is a premium California mandarin brand and one of the fastest-growing brands in America’s produce aisles.  This brand is currently sold in virtually every major supermarket, mass market and produce aisle across the United States and Canada. 

“At Mulholland Citrus, we share the same values and a similar vision as Paramount Citrus to expand the market for mandarins and use the power of a well-known brand like Wonderful Halos to reach an ever-increasing number of consumers,” said Tom Mulholland, owner of Mulholland Citrus.  “Both of our companies are strongly rooted in California agriculture, and we believe we can help each other give America a healthy alternative as the perfect snack.”

Last year, Paramount Citrus announced its intensions to spend a record $100 million in marketing between 2013 and 2018 to grow the mandarin category and help increase consumer demand, which benefits all citrus growers.  Paramount has invested in marketing and brand awareness-building as part of an integrated, national campaign to market the “pure goodness” and uniquely delicious taste of the sweet, seedless, easy to peel fruit.  Demand across the industry has grown exponentially over the last few years.  Due to the new collaboration with Mulholland, retail customers can expect a larger supply of mandarins available for the 2014 / 2015 season. 

About Paramount Citrus

Paramount Citrus is America’s largest integrated grower, shipper and packer of fresh citrus—mandarins, navel oranges, Valencia oranges, lemons, limes, Texas red grapefruit and other citrus varieties.  More than 25 million 40lb equivalent cartons of fresh citrus shipped from around the world are processed at our facilities in California’s San Joaquin Valley, Texas’ Rio Grande Valley and Mexico. Paramount Citrus is the country’s largest grower of sweet, seedless, easy-to-peel California mandarins, which are processed in the world’s largest citrus packinghouse at our company’s headquarters in Delano, California. Paramount Citrus is part of the Roll Global LLC family of companies that include the world’s largest grower of pistachios and almonds as well as consumer packaged goods such as POM Wonderful and FIJI Water.

About Mulholland Citrus

Mulholland Citrus is a mandarin grower that has thrived for four generations as a family-run business deeply entrenched in California citrus.  Known today for its branded “Delite” mandarins, Mulholland Citrus was the first U.S.-based company to propagate, grow and market the mandarin itself to the American consumer.  The family’s first Mulholland citrus farm was founded by Perry Mulholland, son of William Mulholland, whose legacy is grounded in the engineering of the Los Angeles aqueduct.  The Mulholland family is dedicated to extending the reach of agricultural innovation, ingenuity and new technologies to deliver the highest-quality citrus to consumers.  Continuing the family tradition, Mulholland Citrus is currently run by Thomas Mulholland. Along with founding the “Delite” brand, Tom founded the Mulholland Citrus nursery in 1978 and beneficial insect insectary in 1985.  For more information, go to www.mulhollandcitrus.com.  

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