Sumo Citrus observes twice the amount of produce for 2023, hits the shelves in droves following record crop yield
Sumo Citrus mandarins are named for their distinctive “top-knot” look, bigger flavor and plumpness.
Mid Valley Times | Staff
DINUBA – Known for their level of sweetness, texture and distinctive “top-knot” look, Sumo Citrus is piling up on shelves this year with double the amount of fruit up for grabs.
Following the largest mandarin harvest to date, customers can find the “world’s favorite fruit” at more stores than previous years, according to brand Sumo Citrus. These mandarins are easily recognizable among fruit aisles for their large sizes, bright, bumpy orange skin and unique top knot that give the fruit its signature look. Sumo Citrus vice president of sales Ron Steele said the brand is pleased to bring this year’s enormous volume of crop yield to consumers.
“We’re so thankful to our incredible growers who have so much pride in what they do,” Steele said. “They work tirelessly year round ensuring that, at harvest time, every single individual piece of fruit meets our unusually high standards of sweetness, taste and texture.”
This year, Sumo Citrus will land in more grocery stores due to an expanded distribution in the U.S. and now Canada. Coming into its thirteenth season of harvest, the 2023 Sumo Citrus season officially started in January and will run through April. The fruit’s prices range from $3.99 to $4.99 a pound. It is available at retailers across the U.S. and sold individually or in bulk bags for convenient sharing, regardless if it’s with the family, at sporting events or at the workplace.
“The growth of the Sumo Citrus brand has completely surpassed our expectations,” Sunnia Gull, Sumo Citrus director of marketing, said. “We’re also fortunate to have enjoyed notable recognition this past year from trusted consumer media organizations like Good Housekeeping and The Kitchn. With all of this incredible momentum, we’re excited for the 2023 season to begin.”
In 2022, the fruit brand saw tremendous growth and received various awards from media outlets, including American women’s magazine Good Housekeeping and food and cooking resource The Kitchn. The brand was named “2022 Best Citrus” in the “Powerhouse Produce” category of Good Housekeeping’s Healthy Snack Awards. In the awards, the fruit was called “juicy and seedless, these enormous mandarins are known for their perfectly balanced sweetness and for being easy to peel.”
In the 2022 Kitchn Essentials Grocery Edition Awards, Kitchn named Sumo Citrus a winner in the “produce” category. On the brand, Kitchn said the fruit was like taking a typical orange and giving it a major “glow-up,” with twice the amount of sweetness, an easy-to-remove peel and no seeds.
“Turns out the orange of our dreams already exists, and it’s all thanks to Sumo Citrus,” Kitchn stated about the fruit in the Kitchn Essentials awards.
Sumo Citrus is derived from a blend of satsuma, orange and mandarin citrus varieties. The fruit was originally cultivated in Japan during the 1970s by a lone grower setting out to develop the “perfect citrus fruit.” It quickly became known as the “dekopon” in reference to its distinctive top knot. Eventually, the fruit made its way to the San Joaquin Valley of California, where highly trained, expert growers who understand the fruit’s unique characteristics are able to cultivate it.
According to Sumo Citrus, the fruit is packed with 163% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin C along with three grams of dietary fiber, making for a strong snack option in winter months. Sumo Citrus fruit is also verified as a non-GMO product and is seedless and easy to peel, making it an ideal, no-mess snack for work, home or an on-the-go quick snack.