This venture brings Sunkist’s premium citrus to the UK with an eye toward growth across Europe.
August 26, 2026 - Valencia, Calif. - Sunkist Growers, Inc., one of the world’s longest-standing agricultural cooperatives, today announced a new alliance with VIDAfresh designed to expand the availability of premium Sunkist-branded citrus across the United Kingdom.
Launching with the upcoming Northern Hemisphere citrus season, the programme will provide UK customers a premium range of oranges, easy peelers, lemons, limes, grapefruit, pomelos and other hard citrus varieties. Carefully curated to meet the needs of retail, processing, wholesale and foodservice customers. The range of varieties has been selected for its exceptional eating quality, consistency and strong varietal appeal.
The collaboration pairs Sunkist’s global brand recognition, citrus expertise and international production and sourcing network with VIDAfresh’s commercial and logistics strength and close long-term client relationships in both the UK and Europe. Together, the companies will reintroduce Sunkist fresh citrus to a new generation of UK consumers while laying the groundwork for expansion into the broader European region over time.
“Growing up in the UK, Sunkist was a brand I knew long before I joined this cooperative, and this alliance brings that connection full circle,” said Christian Harris, Chief Operating Officer at Sunkist Growers. “It allows us to bring that legacy to more customers across the region, backed by the quality and consistency Sunkist is known for around the world.”
Sunkist’s connection to the UK dates back more than 70 years, with the cooperative first shipping California citrus to London in 1953. The new program builds on that history while reflecting Sunkist’s broader strategy to grow its international presence and connect customers with high-quality fruit sourced from growers across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Through this venture, VIDAfresh will manage the program’s regional commercial, logistical and customer-service needs, drawing on its established UK relationships and supply-chain capabilities to connect Sunkist’s global citrus network with customers throughout the region.
"Sunkist's heritage and reputation for quality make this an incredibly exciting collaboration for VIDAfresh," said Scott Davies, Managing Director at VIDAfresh. "Our product knowledge, highly experienced commercial, logistics and operational teams, coupled with our commitment to customer satisfaction and our proven track record in fresh produce, position us well to build a long-term platform for sustainable growth for Sunkist across the UK and Europe."
The initial program will focus on establishing Sunkist’s fresh citrus presence across UK customer channels, with the venture expected to support additional varieties, expanded seasonal availability and broader European distribution over time.
Sunkist and VIDAfresh will also be showcasing their expanding citrus collaboration at Fruit Attraction in Madrid this October — stop by the VIDAfresh stand to learn more about the program.
We will be in Hall 10, Stand B13
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About Sunkist Growers, Inc.
Founded in 1893, Sunkist Growers is one of the world’s longest-standing agricultural cooperatives. Owned by multigenerational citrus growers in California and Arizona, Sunkist offers a diverse portfolio of fresh citrus varieties and products to customers around the world. Everything Sunkist does is for its growers, helping family farms remain strong while delivering quality citrus to customers and consumers globally. For more information, visit Sunkist.com.
About VIDAfresh
VIDAfresh is a fresh produce importer and distributor based in Dartford, Kent. Founded in 2010, the company works directly with growers, suppliers and service providers around the world to deliver quality produce to their wide and diverse client base across the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe. Its highly experienced commercial, technical and logistics teams are totally focused on quality, food safety, sustainability, supply-chain integrity and responsive service. For more information, visit VIDAfresh.co.uk.
SUNKIST IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF SUNKIST GROWERS, LLC. ©2026. PRODUCE OF U.S.A. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
VIDAfresh IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF VIDAfresh Ltd ©2026. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED