Sumo Citrus, the award winning mandarin known for its sweetness, texture and distinct look, will burst back into fruit aisles this January. The most pampered fruit in the world, painstakingly grown and meticulously cared for by a select group of expert farmers for eight months, Sumo Citrus will harvest its largest crop to date for the upcoming 2023 season beginning in January - doubling the amount of fruit from the previous season. This season, customers will find the fruit at more stores than ever before with increased distribution across North America, now including Canada.
Derived from Satsuma, Orange, and Mandarin citrus varieties, Sumo Citrus was originally cultivated in Japan in the 1970's by a single grower who set out to develop the "perfect citrus fruit." The fruit quickly became known as the "dekopon" in Japan in reference to its distinctive top knot and eventually made its way to California's San Joaquin Valley where only highly trained, expert growers who know its unique characteristics are able to cultivate it.
In 2022, the fruit brand saw tremendous growth and received multiple awards from trusted, expert media outlets, including Good Housekeeping and The Kitchn. Good Housekeeping named Sumo Citrus "2022 Best Citrus" in the "Powerhouse Produce" category for its highly regarded Healthy Snack Awards calling the fruit, "Juicy and seedless, these enormous mandarins are known for their perfectly balanced sweetness and for being easy to peel."
The Kitchn named the brand a winner in the "Produce" category of its 2022 Kitchn Essentials Grocery Edition Awards saying, "Imagine taking a typical orange and giving it a major glow-up — we're talking twice the amount of juicy sweetness, an easier-to-remove peel, and no seeds. Turns out the orange of our dreams already exists, and it's all thanks to Sumo Citrus."
"The growth of the Sumo Citrus brand has completely surpassed our expectations," said Sunnia Gull, Director of Marketing for Sumo Citrus. "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!"
Now in its 13th season, Sumo Citrus will be landing in more fruit aisles than previous seasons with expanded distribution across the United States and Canada - often creatively and uniquely displayed by the brand's retail partners in its eye-catching purple boxes . A little weird, yet enormously delicious, Sumo Citrus is easily recognizable in the fruit aisle thanks to its huge size, bumpy, bright orange skin and unique top knot. Each individual fruit also dons a sizable produce sticker sporting the brand's iconic orange and purple logo.
For more information: SumoCitrus.com