The Regenerative Practices That Grow Sumo Citrus

We believe the way we grow matters as much as what we grow. Which is why every Sumo Citrus that takes root in the soil of California’s Central Valley is grown with care from bloom until harvest, when it is hand-picked and delivered to stores across the country. We hold the highest standards at every step along the way, incorporating sustainable and regenerative practices into our farms and operations.

Regenerative agriculture is more than sustainable farming — it’s about leaving the land, ecosystems, and communities around our farms in a healthier, more vibrant state than we found them. For Sumo Citrus, that commitment comes to life through three core focus areas: soil health, biodiversity, and water efficiency. We’re also continually exploring new ways to manage energy and waste, because sustainability isn’t a destination — it’s built into everything we do.

🌱 Soil Health

Growing each enormously delicious fruit starts with healthy, “living” soil. 

Healthy soil is better at withstanding climate extremes like heat and drought, helping our legendary citrus grow strong, even in tougher seasons. Cultivating healthy soil naturally improves the overall soil structure, water filtration, and supports the ancient underground networks of fungi and microorganisms that transfer carbon, water, nitrogen, and other minerals between trees. It also stores carbon, one of Mother Nature’s secret ingredients for keeping the air clean and ecosystems in balance. 

We take every opportunity we can to replenish the organic carbon and nutrients that the citrus trees naturally pull from the soil. We chip the tree prunings in our orchards and spread them across the ground, which creates a thick layer of mulch that protects the soil from the hot sun and wind, helping it stay cool and moist. As the mulch breaks down, it increases carbon in the soil and provides a food source for soil microbes. 

By adding organic material like compost, we kickstart microbial activity that helps our trees absorb nutrients more effectively. This reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and allows biodiversity to help manage the ecosystem on our farms. The result is the distinctive sweetness Sumo Citrus is known for.

🐝 Biodiversity

Growing healthy trees means supporting the natural habitats and the biodiversity of the natural ecosystems around our orchards, from the insects below to the birds above.

Where possible, we plant hedgerows that serve as “living fences” to help reduce wind erosion and provide year-round habitat for beneficial insects.

To further encourage beneficial insects to thrive in our orchards, we use non-chemical pest prevention like pheromone traps and mating disruptors whenever possible. We also use narrow-spectrum products that target only the pest, allowing the beneficial insects to live and control pest populations naturally. 

To deter larger pests like rodents and birds that would eat the fruit before it makes it to harvest, we’ve built raptor perches and owl boxes around the perimeter of the farms. This allows natural predators to help balance the orchard habitat.

Together, these natural ecosystems help maintain the perfect growing environment for Sumo Citrus, so every flavorful piece of fruit reflects the consistency and care our farmers have spent years cultivating.

💧 Water Efficiency

In California, water is one of our most precious resources, and we take its conservation seriously.

While our trees need both hot summer temperatures and cool winter nights to produce the highest-quality fruit possible, a consistent water supply is the key to a healthy harvest. 

Water availability around our farms can be limited, depending on rainfall and reserves, so we use it as efficiently as possible. Our farming and nursery teams have spent years developing a smarter approach to irrigation. We take precise measurements of soil moisture, tree stress, and even use satellite sensing to understand what our trees need day-to-day. Storage reservoirs for the farms and water recycling systems in our nurseries ensure we always have enough on tap. 

We also redirect excess surface water back into the soil to replenish underground aquifers. This process, called recharging, creates a water bank for future use and increases water security for the farms. In 2025, we recharged enough water to fill 64 Olympic swimming pools.

We recharged enough water to fill 64 Olympic swimming pools.

The result is a system that supports resilient harvests, delivering exactly what Sumo Citrus needs—no more and no less.

⚡Energy & Waste

Beyond our three core regenerative practices, we pursue meaningful progress in reducing energy and waste—two additional areas where small changes can have a real impact.

Several of our farms and our packing house now have solar panels to diversify energy use. Our sustainability and operational teams work with utility providers to maximize the output of our solar arrays, which helps our farming teams avoid high-demand peak hours. This intentional action lowers costs and our carbon footprint.

Across our operations, we’ve reduced waste through diversion efforts, reusable nursery pots, and recycling programs. We continue working with our waste vendors to find the most local and sustainable outlets for non-organic byproducts, such as cardboard, metals, and plastics.

These efforts have helped us keep more than 94% of the waste we produce out of landfills. We’re proud of our progress, but there’s always more work to be done.

We have diverted 94+% of the waste we produce away from landfills.

This no-waste mindset carries through to each harvest. Our goal is simple: no piece of fruit goes to waste. When fruit doesn’t meet our size or appearance standards, but is still incredibly high quality, we transform it into juices, purees, and citrus oils. This allows us to put every ounce of sweetness to good use. 

Looking Ahead

Now and into the future, we aim to remain at the forefront of regenerative agriculture and sustainable growing practices. As our farmers improve our operations year after year, our dedication remains the same: protect the health and longevity of the planet, our farms, and the communities that grow each nutritious, incredibly sweet Sumo Citrus.