Creekside Organics Kicks Off California Citrus Season with Early-to-Market Mandarins
October 30, 2026 | 3 min to read
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — California citrus season is underway at Creekside Organics, with the company’s proprietary organic Dulce mandarins leading the charge. Among the earliest California organic mandarins to reach the market, Dulces mark the beginning of a season that will bring a wide variety of organic citrus to retail shelves, including Clementine mandarins, navel oranges, Cara Cara oranges, lemons, Minneola tangelos, and plenty of specialty citrus.
“Our organic Dulce mandarins are a special way to kick off the California citrus season,” said Bianca Kaprielian, Co-CEO of Creekside Organics. “My dad developed this variety decades ago, so it’s especially exciting to see it continue to be one of the first California mandarins on the market. The fruit has been fantastic this year – super sweet, prime sizing – and we have so much more citrus to look forward to in the months ahead.”
The Dulce harvest is transitioning to organic Clementines the first week of November, with Creekside projecting approximately 30% more organic Clementine volume this season compared to last year. Much of that increase is expected from later Clementine varieties, including Finas and Sidi Aissas, extending availability through January. Clementines from the famed Sky Ranch are also developing well, with early sugar readings well ahead of last year’s levels and fruit expected to be ready forThanksgiving holiday pulls.
Organic navels are following closely behind the first mandarins, with Creekside’s early-season Fukumoto navels now being harvested and shipped. Among the first California organic navels available this season, Fukumotos are seeing strong early demand, with available volumes selling out quickly. The start of the navel season overlaps with the company’s late-season organic Valencia program, which is expected to continue into early November.
A Full Season of Organic Citrus Ahead
While mandarins and navels are among the first arrivals, Creekside is preparing for a broad lineup of organic citrus throughout the winter and spring.
They have been shipping lemons from California’s desert growing region since September, with strong supplies of bulk and bagged fruit available. Central Valley lemon harvests are expected to begin in December, with availability potentially extending into June.
Organic Cara Caras are developing well, with harvest potentially beginning as early as late November, about three weeks earlier than usual. The crop is currently trending toward desirable retail sizes, particularly 56, 72, and 88 count.
Creekside is also anticipating an especially strong organic Minneola season. Fruit size, quality, and volume are looking promising, with one Central Valley ranch reporting nearly double last year’s fruit set as its trees mature. Desert-grown Minneolas are expected to begin in December, followed by Central Valley fruit that could extend availability into early May.
Organic sweet limes are already shipping and are expected to remain available into January, offering retailers a specialty citrus option as the broader California season builds. Additional varieties, including grapefruit, blood oranges, and kumquats, will join the lineup as the season progresses.
With a potentially wetter winter ahead due to El Niño conditions, Creekside is also planning proactively to prepare for possible weather-related harvest and supply challenges.
“There’s so much to love about California citrus season, especially all the different varieties that come along as the season unfolds,” added Carlos Casillas, who heads up Creekside’s Grower & Supply Team. “We start with our early mandarins and navels, and before you know it, we’ve got Cara Caras, Minneolas, blood oranges, and all kinds of specialty citrus in the mix. It’s a really exciting time of year for us.”
About Creekside Organics
Creekside Organics is a leading certified organic grower-shipper based in California, sourcing from organic farms across California and Mexico. Offering year-round organic fruit and vegetable programs, Creekside is dedicated to expanding market reach for its growers, preserving family farms, and upholding the highest standards of environmental sustainability. Through a growing family of brands—including Fruit World and Capay Organics—Creekside continues to build a stronger, more resilient future for organic agriculture.