Harrisonburg, VA – Shenandoah Growers is pleased to announce that it has entered into a formal and exclusive partnership agreement with Sunfest Organic Herbs of Okeechobee, FL, securing an expanded and reliable domestic supply of fresh-cut, certified organic herbs.
With 380 acres of owned certified organic farmland, developed and managed by veteran culinary herb growers, Sunfest, combined with Virginia farming, will provide the vast majority of Shenandoah Growers' supply of U.S. grown fresh cut herbs for the Eastern, Midwestern, and Southern United States.
In addition to its fully sustainable and organic growing practices, Sunfest has developed an exclusive and proprietary food safety technology, Enviro Pure, in its new state-of-the-art processing facility. This industry-leading innovation will ensure the absolute safest way to handle cut herbs, provide longer shelf life, and protect the consumer.
Shenandoah Growers and Sunfest bring together experienced management teams with industry-leading innovation across all fresh herb lines, and as such, are uniquely positioned to lead the way in improving the growing, processing, and delivery of fresh culinary herbs, meeting the needs of this fast-growing market.
Complementing Shenandoah’s fleet of dedicated trucks, Sunfest has recently acquired new biodiesel, dual-temperature zone trucks to ensure optimal service and quality for Florida and the greater Southeast. The total combined ground logistics network will ensure that product is on the shelves within days of harvest, preserving the cold-chain integrity of highly perishable fresh herbs.
“This partnership was formed by like-minded individuals with a common mission, a common vision, and a common belief in unwavering ethical business practices. When we looked at combining Shenandoah Growers’ experience in the market and innovation in organic greenhouse growing with Sunfest’s sustainable organic farming and industry-leading food safety innovation, it was obvious that this would be a win for everyone from our employees to our valued customers, and ultimately and most importantly, to the consumers of fresh herbs,” explains Tim Heydon, CEO of Shenandoah Growers.
Cliff Rosen, CEO of Sunfest, adds, “We just knew that there was a better way of farming and ensuring food safety, and with Shenandoah, we are excited to offer what we truly believe to be the absolute freshest, safest, organically grown herbs to millions of consumers. We, too, share in the belief that fresh herbs are the healthiest way to improve the taste of food naturally, and we are excited to be part of transforming the way the fresh culinary herb industry works.”
Furthermore, Heydon and Rosen agree that by keeping as much product regionally and organically grown in the USA as possible, both Shenandoah and Sunfest are fulfilling their common commitment to sustainable agriculture practices, reducing food miles, improving shelf life and safeguarding the consumer.
About Shenandoah Growers
Founded in 1989 in Harrisonburg, VA, Shenandoah Growers is a leading supplier of fresh cut and living organic herbs to more than 4,000 grocery stores. Offering a complete line of culinary herbs to its customers, Shenandoah has pioneered the development of living organic herbs in the industry with exclusive proprietary growing techniques and technology in state-of-the-art certified organic greenhouses. With 250 employees working in greenhouses, field production, processing facilities, and transportation, Shenandoah Growers has been one of the fastest growing companies in the region over the last decade. Shenandoah Growers’ story of entrepreneurship, perseverance and the pursuit of sustainable innovation paired with its relentless customer-focused approach to ethical busines s practices is what continues to drive the company’s success.
About Sunfest Organic Herbs
Sunfest Organic Herbs is located in Okeechobee, FL, on a site of more than 1,200 owned acres, including the 380-acre certified organic farm site, a state-of-the-art processing facility with multiple temperature zones, vacuum cooling, automated packing lines, and a fleet of biodiesel trucks. Over 7 acres of Cravo greenhouses, specifically designed with environmental controls and built for culinary herbs, help to protect the most sensitive crops from extremes in weather conditions and vastly extend the traditional Florida growing season.
In addition to being stewards of the land and believers in natural and sustainable food production, Sunfest has pioneered the development of next-stage food safety with its proprietary and exclusive Enviro Pure purification system throughout its processing facility. This system treats any potentially harmful pathogens, acts to protect consumer health, extends shelf life by stopping decay, and provides the cleanest and safest way to store, handle, pack, and distribute fresh cut herbs in the industry.
To learn more about Shenandoah Growers and Sunfest Organic Herbs, please visit www.freshherbs.com, www.shenandoahgrowers.com and www.sunfestherbs.com.
Source: Shenandoah Growers / Sunfest Organic Herbs
