Ownership of Juice Plants Changes  – 1996

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Most of the citrus processing facilities in Florida were owned by growers.  There were some large citrus producers that built plants, other operations were grower cooperatives.  Private companies like Tropicana (founded in 1947 and sold to Pepsi in 1998) also had juice plants.  By 1980 there were more than 50 juice processing plants in Florida!  However, the freezes of the 1980’s and a disease brought about a dramatic change in the number and ownership of these facilities.  Today (2025) according to Florida Citrus Mutual, only six major processing plants remain, collectively operated by four companies.  Only one of the remaining processors is owned by Florida growers (Florida Natural is a cooperative).  The other plants are either owned by Brazilian or large US corporations.  Cutrale, a large Brazilian company purchased Minute Maid in 1996.

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Citrus is a world-wide business and juice is transported in large tanker ships as well as over the road tanker trucks.  Florida is no longer the largest producer of orange juice!  A devastating disease, GREENING (check it out down the time line) has dropped fruit production drastically.  The remaining processors must bring in juice from places like Brazil and Mexico to keep the plants operating!   Strange as it is, the Florida citrus industry is in a survival mode today!  There are still Florida growers, but the processing side of the industry has been dominated by interests outside the state since 1996.