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CRAFT CULTIVATED FOR FOUR GENERATIONS

Noble’s craft-cultivated family of products are part of a remarkable four generation journey that began even before 1926 when WG Roe officially founded the company.
Earliest Days

WG Roe, a Hudson River ice supplier to New York’s packing district (ice blocks cut from the Hudson river), moves to central Florida near Winter Haven.

In 1917 Roe purchased a wholesale and gift fruit business. Eventually, Roe began to buy, ship and sell Florida citrus back to New York, using the train lines to move his goods.

1920s

Seaboard Coastline Railroad builds a citrus packing house for WG Roe, one of 100s of packing houses built by the RR company to wrest the northbound shipping of fruit from water shipping lines.

1926

WG Roe & Sons, Inc. opens its doors. Most growers are focusing on oranges and grapefruits, but Roe grew the Dancey Tangerine in its original citrus groves, 

1940s

Second generation Roes, Willard and Fred, enter the business. Both were Princeton educated, and then served in WWII, They steadily grew the company and accelerated the unique vision to be the top tangerine specialists in Florida. 

1950 to 1970

The family endures challenges and celebrates successes, continuing to move toward specialization in tangerines.

1979
The third generation of Roe family members enter the business and establish an R&D facility. They spend nearly four decades breeding new, easy-to-peel, tangerines with little or no seeds and amazing flavor. This process eventually produces what is known today as Noble Juicy Crunch®, Autumn Honey and other patented New Generation Florida Tangerines™.
1996

WG Roe & Sons operates under its exclusive sales and marketing arm, Noble Worldwide Florida Citrus Sales. About that time, the fourth generation of Roe family--digital savvy and eco-conscious as most millennials--enter the company, bringing new sustainability  innovations.

2004
Noble markets its first Florida Starburst Pummelos®, as a specialty item for selected retailers.
2018/2019
The first commercial crops of Noble Juicy Crunch®, Autumn Honey®, and New Generation Florida Tangerines™ are released, as Noble asserts itself as the top grower/packer of craft-cultivated tangerines.
Today

Yes, it takes patience and time to innovate fruit naturally and sustainably. We grew our company the same way, as a proud citrus family free from the pressure of a big corporation.

It’s been a long journey but the Roe family says it’s worth it. You will too!

Listen to this story as told by fourth generation, Quentin Roe, as part of a 35 minute interview on the “Happenin’ in the Haven” podcast hosted by Winter Haven’s Chamber of Commerce President, Kathy Worthington Decker.

Innovation

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Oranges vs. Tangerines Per Capita was 80/20–Now is 60/40 (and Gaining)

According to the USDA, the Florida tangerine citrus group “has soared in popularity, with per capita availability more than doubling between 2000 and 2022. This broad group includes tangelos, mandarins, clementines, and traditional tangerines. A comparison of per capita fresh tangerine and fresh orange availability over the last 20 years shows the share going to tangerines increasing from 20 to 40 percent.”

The article goes on to say that growth of the U.S. tangerine market coincides with the launch of marketing campaigns for easy-peel seedless mandarins…”

See the USDA Economic Research Service Article