Spotlight: Citrus Systems
by Nora m. Davis (HBCA) 
—January 2011
President Tom Boehland
Have you seen those “Citrus Systems” signs along Excelsior Boulevard and wondered just what they did? And why in snowy Minnesota?
I met with President Tom Boehland and learned that Citrus Systems reconstitutes juices and re-packages that juice in a variety of sizes, from a four-ounce cup to gallon-sized containers and boxes.
But first – a bit of Citrus Systems history. Tom started in the juice business distributing Bag-in-Box juice bases and drinks, initially focusing on the hospitality trade. In 1986 Citrus Systems began producing products at a local dairy. They soon outgrew that facility and moved to an 8,000 square foot plant in Farmington, MN, allowing them to expand their product line and bottle private labeled juices. Sales grew and in 1991 they began construction on a 33,000 square foot building on Harrison Avenue in Hopkins.
And why Hopkins? According to Tom, “Hopkins is a business friendly community, and close to metro area distribution points.” In 1994 they were the first in the Upper-Midwest to install a half-gallon pour spout paper carton filler. More growth followed and in 2003 they moved to their present 74,000 square foot location at 125 Jackson Avenue North.
My next question for Tom was about the process involved. “Concentrate arrives at our plant by tanker truck,” he explained. “And because food safety is our number one priority, before we accept the shipment, our employees check to make sure that the seals applied on the tanker at the source have not been tampered with and the shipment paperwork matches. A sample is also taken and checked for quality and flavor before the concentrate is pumped into our holding silos.
"Food safety concerns dictate that we be able to trace that concentrate from the time it leaves the source, arrives at our plant, is reconstituted, goes through the pasteurization process, and finally is packaged,” he continued. “We also retain samples of our juices should any concerns arise after the product leaves our plant.”
Although they do produce other juices including grape and apple, the majority of product packaged is orange juice – with an average production of 7.5 million gallons per year. Forty-four employees oversee this multi-level process, many of them long-time employees. (Note: If you’d like to check out their production plant – they have great photos on their website www.citrussystems.com. You’ll see the packaging equipment for the various sizes – from the 4oz cup to the gallon container.)
Where is all this juice headed? Just about everywhere! They provide juices to area wholesalers including SuperValu, Nash Finch and Coborn’s, and dairies including Kemps and Polka Dot. You’ll also find them in schools, health care facilities, and in other states including Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Just recently they’ve begun to work with the military; their juices are now being shipped to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait.
With over two hundred products, most of us have tasted their juices, without realizing they were packaged right here in Hopkins. So the next time you pour a glass of orange juice from that carton, think Citrus Systems and enjoy!
