ABSTRACT
At the onset of the global economic crisis in 2008, the Limoneira Company was considering an aggressive international expansion as a means to realize a quantum leap in sales. Since the early 1900s, Sunkist had been responsible for almost all of Limoneira’s market access, and accordingly the vast majority of its revenue. It was the summer of 2008 and Hilmy Cader, MTI Consulting’s CEO, had just completed a call with Harold Edwards, the CEO and President of the Limoneira Company, a soon to be NASDAQ listed corporation and the largest lemon producer in the United States. Located in Ventura County, just up the coast from Los Angles, the Limoneira Company established itself in the cultivation of lemons, oranges and walnuts in 1893. Major competitors of Sunkist/Limoneira included a diversified group of countries. The marketing cooperative’s channel access was extensive, and their relationship with Sunkist meant Limoneira could focus on the business of growing lemons—something it knew a lot about.
