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James H. Mast, President and CEO (Acting) With more than 40 years experience in the citrus industry; Jim Mast understands the varied facets of our multi-faceted business. He is chairman emeritus of the Sunkist Board of Directors, having served on the hoard for 11 years, five of those as chairman. He brings valuable experience as a grower and as a packinghouse manager as well as a director to his interim role. Mast, an Arizona citrus grower, packs with Mesa Citrus Growers where he has been manager more than 35 years. He is also president of Allied Cirrus Exchange.

2000 Annual Report - President's Message

Times are tough in the Western citrus industry. In today's extremely competitive market environment, there is little tolerance for quality deviations. The results for the 2000 season reflect that reality.

Naturally, there were some varieties and some areas of production that fared better than others, and there were some time frames that offered windows of profitability. However, major segments of the citrus industry struggled to achieve, or even to maintain, profitability.

The costs of production increased, but in general, on-tree returns did not. As producers, we are all asking "why"? The answers are many and varied.

Citrus production worldwide is expanding at the same time buyers worldwide ate consolidating. Our industry no longer has a supply-side structure influenced by marketing orders. Supply discipline is thwarted by a growing multitude of sellers, some offering new products, others offering just another opportunity for lower prices. Each new entity means increased competition for the same customers, which puts downward pressure on prices and, in turn, on grower returns.

What is Sunkist doing in this less-than-positive environment? We are continually working to expand our foreign markets. We are pursuing innovative new ways of promoting out products. We are making our sales effort more efficient, working with our customers, trying hard to build partnerships to help increase our value to them.

But the answer does not lie strictly with marketing plans and buyer relationships. It lies with us as producers, as well. It is no longer enough just to grow a crop. We must become aware and stay aware of changing consumer preferences and of changing market opportunities. We need to adjust out production to meet market demand. It is no longer enough to produce a good piece of fruit. It has to be a good piece of fruit that the consumer wants to buy, and that means the right variety, the right size and the best quality - not an easy task.

What can Sunkist growers do? Study your pool statement - identify the more profitable items and then maximize the production of those items. Support your packinghouse. Support your sales organization. The stronger all of the varied segments of the Sunkist system are, the better your returns will be.

Sunkist is uniquely qualified to meet the changes and challenges of today and tomorrow. We have capabilities that our competitors cannot match. We have the power of our brand a brand that our customers, and their customers, prefer. We have our sales force that works face-to-face with our customers in every major domestic market. We have some of the biggest and best marketing programs in our history. We have new and growing markets such as China and Korea, which we have helped to open and develop.

We have a very real, and a very sustainable, competitive advantage. But the quality of our product is the most important thing we have to offer. Without Sunkist's quality; all the other things that we can do, and do well, will not be enough.

In today's climate of consolidation, every marketing organization must be customer-driven. And Sunkist is. We know what is happening in the markets. We know what the customers want. And we are delivering.

There are two things that dictate how successful we will be: market discipline and product quality; We must bring the right volume of product to market. In any time frame, there is a right volume and a right product mix that needs to be marketed if income goals are to be met. Believe me, we are all involved and should all be committed to that effort.

Keep in mind that it was a group of citrus growers committed to the goal of improving on-tree revenue that began Sunkist's cooperative endeavor. The continuity of this mission over the past 107 years is the result of a continued commitment to Sunkist, certainly by our employees, but most importantly, by all of us, the grower-members.

If we are to remain the leading marketer of fresh citrus, we must continue to focus on what has served us well for more than 100 years, providing a superior product and superior service to our customers. Together, we own Sunkist It is our company. Its success is our responsibility. James H. Mast
President (Acting)

James H. Mast
President (Acting)