What we do
Auburndale Fruit Company is a grower, shipper and broker of Seedless and Seeded Watermelons.
Watermelons are our only commodity, so we put 100% of our focus on growing and procuring only the best watermelons available!
We BREATHE, SLEEP, and yes, EAT WATERMELONS!
​
Our owners and employees are 3rd and 4th generation Agricultural Families. We have spent the last 25 years learning and developing the best growing practices, varieties, and techniques for farming watermelons from Florida to Georgia to Missouri and beyond.
Our niche in the produce industry is providing the Best Watermelons at the Best Price while never sacrificing quality, food safety, or customer service. AFC's success is a direct result of our attention to detail, our 25 years of experience, and our commitment to quality and customer service.
​
We ship our high quality fruit from April to September each year to a variety of Retailers, Food-Service Companies, Wholesalers, Distributers, and Markets, and you can find our melons from the East Coast to the Midwest and all the way up to Canada!
​
If your company has a need for fantastic fruit delivered on time and under budget, contact us today!
Food Safety
Here at AFC, we are dedicated to providing a safe product for our customers and their end users.
Each of our farms and packing facilities are GAP and HAACP Food Safety Certified. Ensuring that our the consumers of our products are never exposed to a product that could be harmful to them is our number one priority.
Each farm that grows Mr. Melon Man Watermelons, and each facility that packs them, conforms to our Food Safety Plan requirements and is audited to ensure compliance with laws, guidelines, and best practices.
Sustainability and Conservation
Conserving and protecting our environment, and growing in a way that creates a sustainable pattern for our resources is why we have been able to do what we do for over 25 years.
We advise our growers in techniques that are not only beneficial for the Earth, but beneficial for the farmer.
​
Many of our growers double-crop watermelons with other crops such as strawberries in FL and cotton in GA. This saves on wasted plastic and drip tape, and the overproduction of these products, that would normally end up in our landfills. Double cropping also saves on water and chemicals while the crops are growing at the same time. Both of these benefits not only creates a sustainable environment for the Earth, but also for the farmer to make a profit. The use of drip-irrigation allows our farmers to use the least amount of water and chemicals necessary to grow a crop. This type of irrigation also reduces the spread of diseases, which results in less chemical spraying.
​
Another technique is crop-rotation. Our land is given 7-8 years at a minimum between each crop of watermelons, and in this time other crops such as strawberries, peppers, wheat, cotton, and peanuts are grown on the land. This allows the soil to regenerate and rid itself of diseases and pests in the process.
​
Finally we use strips of rye or wheat between rows of watermelons which creates a wind-break and barrier to erosion. These strips, and the use of plastic on our beds, reduces weeds in the field which in turn reduces the need to spray herbicides.
​
We understand that our industry is dependent on a healthy ecosystem. 25 years in the watermelon industry and nearly 40 years in Agriculture has shown us the importance of taking care of our Mother Earth, and having resources available for generations to come.
