If you’ve noticed a slight change in the taste of your orange juice lately, you’re not imagining things. A disease called Citrus Greening, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), has been affecting citrus groves across Florida, reshaping the state’s iconic citrus industry and the fruit it produces.

At Kennesaw Juice, we believe in radical transparency and legendary customer service, so I want to share what’s happening, how it’s impacting the fruit we source, and most importantly, how we’re upholding our promise to deliver the highest-quality juice possible.

Citrus Greening is a bacterial disease spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, a tiny insect that feeds on citrus trees. Once infected, trees suffer from stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and misshapen, sour fruit. Eventually, the tree stops producing altogether.

Since it was first detected in Florida in 2005, Citrus Greening has devastated the state’s citrus crop. Florida orange production has dropped more than 75% in the past two decades. Nearly all citrus trees in the state now show some signs of infection. And the fruit that does grow often has lower sugar content and different juice characteristics than what we’ve been used to.

Because of the disease’s impact, many oranges today are smaller, contain less juice, and don’t develop the same level of sweetness. That means the juice:

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· Has less sugar

· Tastes milder and more balanced

· Still contains all the natural nutrition our customers expect

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While the fruit may not look perfect on the outside, it still holds value, and flavor, on the inside.

At Kennesaw, we’ve built our brand on unequivocal excellence, and that doesn’t change when nature throws a curveball. Here’s how we’re adapting while staying true to who we are.

More Selective Sourcing We work closely with our grower partners to hand-select the best fruit possible, even in challenged seasons. It may take more effort, but it’s worth it to protect the quality of every bottle.

Blending for Balance We’re adjusting our juice blends with care to maintain consistency in taste, mouthfeel, and freshness. Even when the sugar content is lower, we ensure the profile meets our standards.

Transparency and Testing Every batch is tested for sweetness (Brix), acidity, and flavor. Nothing gets bottled unless it passes our quality thresholds.

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A Hidden Benefit? Lower Sugar One thing we’re excited about: many of our customers appreciate a lower sugar juice that still tastes great. It’s not quite as sweet, but it’s still 100% real juice. For some, that’s a welcome shift.

This isn’t just a challenge, it’s an opportunity to innovate, grow, and reaffirm our values. We’ll keep doing what we’ve always done: take care of our growers, serve our customers with juice they can be proud to serve, and improve with every opportunity.

Thanks for being part of the Kennesaw family. We’re proud to keep pouring you the best juice we can, no matter what nature brings.

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