| The Florida Department of Citrus estimates over two | | | | To achieve the highest success rate, Florida Citrus Gift |
| million Gifts of Florida Citrus are being ordered this | | | | Shippers usually have to maintain a schedule that is |
| year, a substantial number of them on the internet. | | | | based on a weekly cycle. Because of its weight, citrus |
| Understanding the process these orders go through | | | | is expensive to ship. In order to limit these costs, |
| from the time the order is placed to delivery of the fruit | | | | quantities must be large, usually truckload. Daily cycles |
| will enable you to have a more satisfying experience | | | | do not provide the necessary quantity but weekly |
| as a customer. | | | | schedules do and are maintained by most shippers. |
| Gift Fruit Is Different | | | | That is why the citrus you order is usually scheduled |
| Citrus, no matter the variety, grown for the gift | | | | and confirmed for "The week of " rather than specific |
| business in Florida is different from yard grown or | | | | delivery days, unless you are willing to pay a large |
| small grove grown fruit. For appearance sake, gift fruit | | | | premium for expedited shipping. |
| is sprayed several times in its growing season by a | | | | Orders are accumulated, processed and scheduled as |
| harmless substance to retard wind burn, a common | | | | they are received in a 7 day period, for instance from |
| Florida condition that in turn blemishes the fruit. Then, | | | | Wednesday through Tuesday. Those orders are then |
| only the finest fruit is selected from each harvest to | | | | "picked" by the packing house from fruit delivered that |
| be used for gifts, and the rest is sold to other sellers. | | | | day from the grove, starting on Friday, based upon |
| Additionally, availability periods for gift quality fruit is | | | | their destination, and loaded onto a designated truck |
| usually shorter than yard or small grove grown fruit | | | | for that destination point. Immediately upon a full truck |
| due to a quality issue. The earliest and latest periods of | | | | being loaded, it is sent on its way to a geographic hub. |
| each season produce fruit that is pleasantly edible but | | | | That hub may be a regional post office or truck |
| usually not up to gift quality. Be sure to check the | | | | delivery center. From there the individual gift packages |
| specific availability before ordering. | | | | are delivered by the post office or delivery services. If |
| It's All In The Taste | | | | you order after the end of the weekly cycle, your |
| Gift quality citrus is selected exclusively for the quality | | | | order is held and processed for the following weekly |
| of eating experience. The fruit shipped must be mature | | | | cycle. Most Gift Shippers usually state their order |
| enough to provide an excellent eating experience | | | | cycles and deadlines somewhere in their catalog or on |
| within a window of two days to 10 or more days while | | | | their site. |
| being subjected to an extremely wide range of | | | | Getting What You Want When You Want It |
| temperatures in shipment. No matter how selective the | | | | To insure the best possible eating experience with |
| shipper is, the success rate is never 100% and that is | | | | citrus for yourself or someone else, order Florida Citrus |
| why reputable companies "guarantee" their fruit by | | | | from a reputable Gift Fruit Shipper, within the stated |
| replacing, free, any fruit that does not stand up to the | | | | season for the variety chosen, at least a week before |
| tests of shipment. | | | | the week you want delivery. Do not hesitate to ask |
| When Will It Get There? | | | | for replacement of any fruit that is not up to standard. |