Southern Gardens Groves Corporation, one of the state’s largest citrus growers, has joined Florida’s Natural Growers, the Lake Wales-based juice processor, according to a Friday press statement. The Florida’s Natural board of directors on Thursday approved adding Southern Gardens, a subsidiary of U.S. Sugar Corp. that also operates a processing plant in Clewiston, as its 14th stockholding member. Florida’s Natural, a cooperative owned by citrus growers and third largest U.S. orange juice seller, has been seeking additional members for several years as the state’s grove acreage shrinks under disease pressures. Adding Southern Gardens “will help secure a supply of fruit to further grow our business,” Steve Caruso, the cooperative’s CEO. Rick Kress, president of Southern Gardens, said the fruit the company has committed to Florida’s Natural will continue to be processed at its Clewiston plant.

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