Company History
The following is a brief history and overview of the company and how we are able to provide a fundraising program/service to a non-profit group or organization.
Halifax Citrus Company originated from a parent in a fundraising group. At age 10, I joined the Halifax Trojan Aquatic Club. That year, my mother, Joanne Byrne, became fundraising coordinator for the swim team. She took on the responsibilities from a past parent, whose swimmer had gone on to university. The year before she became coordinator, the swim team decided to venture into selling fruit as a fundraiser. The fundraiser was a success, but a mild one at best. We had only brought in a half truck of fruit, leaving the other half empty. The following year, my mother invited the Dartmouth Crusaders Swim Club to sell fruit in conjunction with our team, in order to cut down on transportation expenses. This ended up being quite a success.
Over the past 30 years, the company has grown through word-of-mouth across many non-profit organizations. The distribution base ranges from Newfoundland to Windsor, Ontario; from high school bands to the Rotary Club.
[pullquote]The company has grown through word-of-mouth across many non-profit organizations.[/pullquote] The distribution base ranges from Newfoundland to Windsor, Ontario; from high school bands to the Rotary Club.
The basis behind the Halifax Citrus Fundraising Program is simple. There is a two week sales campaign: order forms containing all information needed are distributed or emailed, among its members and the community. There is a deadline where the number of orders is called or emailed to the Halifax Citrus Company. The fruit is then delivered to the organization three weeks following the final day of the campaign.
On average, an organization nets $10 per case of fruit, and $7-$9, on half cases. There can be up to 1200 cases on a truck; that is at least $12000 of profit for an organization. The beauty of a citrus sale is that there is no minimum to sell (buy from the company), and a zero-risk component. The zero-risk component is easily explained; the number of cases sold by the organization can be as low as one or as many as you can sell. The organization is then invoiced after the delivery.
[pullquote]We guarantee the highest quality and freshest fruit possible to your door.[/pullquote] We can do this by going grower direct: having it picked, packed and delivered directly to the organization.
All of the sales have had great success. Halifax Citrus is always interested in new organizations. There are sales in November, December, February and April.
If you have any questions about the Halifax Citrus Company, or citrus sales, please contact me by phone at (902) 441-5757, or by email seamus.byrne@halifaxcitrus.ca. I would be more than happy to meet with anybody, or organization, at your convenience.
Thank you,
Seamus Byrne