IMG Citrus in Florida: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
IMG Citrus is a family-owned, vertically integrated citrus grower, packer and shipper in Vero Beach that began in 1979 with 72 acres of Hamlin orange groves. By 2019 it had added a 4,000-acre St. Lucie County grapefruit grove, and its Happy Food brand is sold in North America, Europe and Asia.
| Location | Vero Beach, Florida (Indian River County) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1979, by Michel and Veronique Sallin |
| Sectors | Grapefruit; oranges; mandarins; packing and shipping |
| Scale | 4,000-acre Happy Food Grove in St. Lucie County with a 300-acre reservoir, added in 2019; over 9,000 acres of productive land in the 2019 company profile |
| Why it is notable | Fully integrated grower-packer-marketer that survived two freezes; 40 years in the Florida citrus industry as of 2019 |
| Ownership | Sallin family; a second generation works alongside the professional team |
| Official website | IMG Citrus official site |
History of IMG Citrus
Michel Sallin came to Florida in 1979 looking for agricultural investments, and he and his wife Veronique made their first purchase, 72 acres of Hamlin orange groves in Manatee County. The business began as a brokerage that exported Florida grapefruit, mainly to France. In 1981 they bought a 260-acre grove off Cherry Lake Road in Lake County.
Freezes in 1983 and 1985 destroyed the groves. The family then diversified into containerized tree farming at a Groveland property and moved citrus operations to Indian River County. In 1999 they bought a Vero Beach packinghouse and became a fully integrated grower, packer and marketer, and in 2000 they began marketing domestically. The company marked its 40th year in 2019, and IMG Enterprises, the holding company, also has ornamental nursery, real estate and mitigation banking lines.
What IMG Citrus Grows and Raises
IMG Citrus handles grove production, packing and marketing under one roof. It grows and sells grapefruit, oranges and mandarins, including fruit from Florida, South America and Mexico. In 2019 it bought a 4,000-acre grapefruit grove in St. Lucie County, which it renamed Happy Food Grove, and which the company said raised its Florida citrus land control by over 75 percent.
Happy Food, launched in 2013, is its main consumer brand, sold in supermarkets in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia. Trade coverage also tracks the company's effort to reintroduce an heirloom Florida white grapefruit to U.S. shoppers. Customers named in its 40-year profile include Tenor Trading in Japan and Agruban in France.
How IMG Citrus Makes Money
Fresh fruit sales
The company packs and ships fresh citrus from its Vero Beach packinghouse, selling through retail and export customers.
Branded consumer fruit
Happy Food gives IMG a consumer brand, which lets it market grapefruit, oranges and mandarins on quality and variety rather than as a commodity.
Export and diversified lines
Export roots in France and Japan, plus nursery, real estate and mitigation banking through the wider IMG Enterprises family business, spread income across several lines.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from IMG Citrus
The first lesson is that diversification can save a farm after a disaster. After the 1983 and 1985 freezes, containerized tree farming and a move to the Indian River area kept the business going.
Second, integrating packing and marketing captures more of the value than selling fruit at the gate. Third, a brand and varietal focus, including heirloom white grapefruit, creates a reason for buyers to choose one packer over another.
A business that started as a grapefruit brokerage to France, survived two freezes and ended up with a brand called Happy Food has plainly kept its sense of humor. When the packinghouse lines slow, farm.FM supplies farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, all pre-sorted and fully ripe.
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How to Contact IMG Citrus
Website: https://imgcitrus.com/
The domain appears as the company link in trade coverage. No street address, phone or email is listed here because none was verified on the official site. Acreage and employee figures are from 2019 coverage; confirm current details with the company, November 2026.
IMG Citrus Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- IMG Citrus official site - Company website linked in trade coverage
- Perishable News: IMG Citrus 40 years - Company history and leadership
- Citrus Industry: IMG Citrus celebrates 40 years - Trade magazine history of the company
- USDA NASS Census of Agriculture - National and Florida farm statistics
- USDA NASS Quick Stats - Searchable citrus production data
IMG Citrus FAQ
Where is IMG Citrus?
In Vero Beach, Florida, with groves in several counties.
When did it start?
Michel and Veronique Sallin began in 1979.
What is its main brand?
Happy Food, launched in 2013.
What did it add in 2019?
A 4,000-acre grapefruit grove in St. Lucie County with a 300-acre reservoir.
IMG Citrus shows how a family can rebuild after freezes into an integrated citrus grower, packer and brand. Read the Florida farms guide for the state picture and the other operations profiled with IMG Citrus.