FLASHBACK: Tropicana Revolutionizes Citrus Industry, Takes Up Residence at Port Canaveral in 1955
By Space Coast Daily // August 27, 2021
Revolutionized the citrus industry by inventing method for vacuum-packing fresh orange juice
BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – In August 1955 the Tropicana Corporation leased space with the Canaveral Port Authority to construct a refrigerated warehouse for the export of single strength citrus juice.
The S.S. Tropicana delivered 1 million gallons of juice from Florida to the New York market every voyage.
Anthony Rossi, owner of Tropicana Products, revolutionized the citrus industry by inventing a method for vacuum-packing fresh orange juice in a sterilized glass container, and when refrigerated, the juice retained its “just-squeezed” taste.
Tropicana Products was founded in 1947 in Bradenton Rossi, an Italian immigrant, growing from 50 employees to over 3,000 in 2003.
Early distribution of fresh orange juice was by way of hand-delivered juice jars to nearby homes, but demand grew, especially in New York City.
By 1957, the S.S. Tropicana was taking up to 1.5 million U.S. gallons of juice to New York each week. The ship’s last voyage was in 1961 when transportation shifted to truck and rail transport.
Since 1998, it has been owned by PepsiCo. Tropicana’s headquarters are in Chicago.