The Fruit Delivery Industry

Like most industries, the fruit trade in America grew due to new technologies. It began in the late 15th century when Spanish explorers planted citrus fruit seeds just outside of St. Augustine, Florida. Lemons, limes, and oranges soon became popular agricultural products in the Sunshine State. But it wasn’t until the railroad came to Florida in the middle of the 19th century that a commercial industry was born.

The state is now responsible for over seventy percent of the nation’s citrus fruit. They are the world’s leading supplier of grapefruit. Of course, their largest crop is the orange. Florida produces about ninety-five percent of the orange juice Americans imbibe each year. They are also the national leader in fresh fruit. Florida farmers cultivate hundreds of distinct varieties of citrus fruits that are shipped to supermarkets across the nation.

But supermarkets are not their only clients. With the help of the internet, thousands of fruit suppliers are now selling their products as specialty items. They ship fruit baskets, trays, and boxes. Why sell fruit to private citizens instead of to the supermarkets?

To answer that question, we should explain how the fruit industry actually works in America. Because most fruits are weather-sensitive, they are only cultivated in certain regions of the country. Citrus fruits, for example, are only grown commercially in four states-Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona. Growers in these states typically focus on the most popular varieties of fruit. These crops are grown in astonishing quantities because they are hardier and they produce larger and more consistent crop yields. Of course, this does not mean that they are the most flavorful varieties.

Like any practical business owner, growers in these states focus on the crops that are economically viable. But they also produce smaller crops of fruit that they sell at a premium because they are rarer and more sought after. They typically offer these crops to local fruit delivery companies or they sell them on their own.

Selling rare and exotic fruit varieties is a highly profitable enterprise with the help of the internet. Growers can arrange them in gift baskets or pack them into boxes or crates and sell them to fruit lovers who live in other states. Rare fruit varieties like the Honeybell tangelo or the Temple orange can be sold at twice, even three times the market rate to out-of-state customers.

Fruit delivery companies can make considerable profits when they sell rare varieties of fruit to online shoppers, which is why fruit delivery is on the rise. But like any potentially profitable undertaking, selling rare fruit is incredibly risky. One bad crop can scuttle a company with dreams of fast and easy riches.

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

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