WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.,
Feb. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/
-- Florida Crystals Corporation today announces that company
founders, Alfonso Fanjul and J.
Pepe Fanjul, have been inducted into
the 2018 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame. The Fanjul brothers
accepted the honor, presented by Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam
Putnam, on Feb. 13 at a ceremony in
Tampa.
The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame honors men and women who
have made lasting contributions to agriculture and mentor youth who
are the future of Florida
agriculture. Alfonso Fanjul and J.
Pepe Fanjul have been an integral
part of Florida agriculture and
their communities for nearly 60 years. The Hall of Fame recognized
the success of their business endeavors, which have been vital to
the betterment of agriculture in the Everglades Agricultural Area
(EAA), where they farm, and across the state. The Fanjul brothers
have dedicated themselves to building a sustainable business that
values its employees, is committed to giving back to its community
and utilizes the most environmentally friendly farming practices to
produce sugarcane, sweet corn and rice to feed Americans.
"I am so honored to be inducted into the Florida Agriculture
Hall of Fame, because I believe it is a recognition not only of us,
but of our company and its contributions to Florida's economy, to jobs and to food
supply," said Alfonso Fanjul,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Florida Crystals.
"We've come a long way since we planted our first crop in
Florida nearly 60 years ago with
our father and our uncle, and we're very proud to be recognized by
our peers."
The Fanjul family founded Florida Crystals in 1960 as a
sugarcane farming and milling company in Palm Beach County. Over the last six
decades, the Florida division of
the company has grown to include two sugar mills, a sugar refinery,
a rice mill, a packaging and distribution center and the largest
biomass renewable power plant in North
America. Florida Crystals also pioneered farming and
milling of organic sugar in the United
States – a major challenge in a subtropical climate. Florida
Crystals continues to be the only producer of organic cane sugar
products 100 percent made in the U.S. – grown, harvested and milled
in Florida.
Internationally, its subsidiary, ASR Group, is the world's
largest cane sugar refiner.
"I believe that this honor is given to those who love the land
and are champions of agriculture," said J. Pepe Fanjul, Vice Chairman, Chief Operating
Officer, and President of Florida Crystals. "We are so happy
to be part of this vital industry in Florida, which supports 23,000 jobs and
contributes more than $3 billion to
the state's economy. We have dedicated our lives to ensuring a
strong and sustainable agricultural industry."
In addition to providing jobs and economic activity,
Alfonso Fanjul and J. Pepe Fanjul take pride in their steadfast
commitment to sustainable agriculture. In 2015, the South
Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) recognized farmers in the
EAA, south of Lake Okeechobee, for their highly successful 20 year
partnership in Everglades restoration. It is a recognition
that Alfonso Fanjul told the
audience on Tuesday was also one of the proudest moments of his
long career in farming.
About Florida Crystals Corporation
Florida Crystals Corporation is a fully integrated cane sugar
company, guiding its sugar from the farm to the table.
Florida Crystals farms 190,000 acres in Palm Beach County, Florida, where it also owns
two sugar mills, a sugar refinery, a packaging and distribution
center, a rice mill and the largest renewable power plant in North
America. Its renewable energy facility delivers clean power
to its sugar operations. Florida Crystals is the only
producer of certified organic sugar grown and harvested in the
United States. Its subsidiary, ASR Group, which is owns in
partnership with Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, is the world's largest cane sugar
refining company, with cane sugar refineries in Louisiana, California, New
York, Maryland,
Canada, Mexico, England, Italy and Portugal. Its products are marketed through
its brand portfolio: Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, Tate & Lyle®,
Sidul® and Florida Crystals®. Through its FCI Residential
Corporation subsidiary, the company develops, constructs and
manages quality apartment homes and extraordinary
communities. FCI Residential focuses its activities on
multi-family residential development in urban and in-fill areas.
The company currently has more than 4,000 units in the development
throughout Florida. Florida Crystals is headquartered in
West Palm Beach, Florida.
Media Contact:
rbb Communications
Sloane Fistel
305-249-1171
sloane.fistel@rbbcommunications.com
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SOURCE Florida Crystals Corporation