Schacht Groves got its start in 1950 when traveling salesman Henry H. Schacht decided to fulfill his dream of owning a citrus grove in Vero Beach, Florida. Vero Beach is situated in the heart of Florida’s prized Indian River growing district, recognized for producing the highest quality citrus in the world. He bought 50 acres of orange grove west of town.
Within seven years, Henry expanded the groves twice and moved his family down from North Carolina. He prospered with a simple business philosophy: Focus on growing the finest quality fruit, and there will always be a market for it. Commercial packers soon realized that the Schacht name was synonymous with the juiciest, sweetest oranges, grapefruit, and Honeybells.
In 1970, Henry’s son, Henry F. Schacht, launched the gift fruit shipping service. It began as a hobby. But, soon, hundreds of customers had discovered the top-notch fruit available from Schacht Groves.
In the 1990’s, the combination of NAFTA and a global oversupply of citrus fruit contributed to the demise of many small citrus farms. Small growers simply could not compete with the large agri-business corporations unless they carved a niche for themselves. To survive, Schacht Groves focused its business around selling the freshest fruit, juice, and jelly directly to the consumer via its gift fruit catalog, website, and retail store.
Today, Schacht Groves encompasses 145 acres—very small by citrus grove standards—and it’s still a family operation. Henry F. Schacht and his son, Louis, now run the groves’ gift fruit shipping service, which fills thousands of orders each season.
If you’re in the Vero Beach area, stop by and take a little tour of the groves and the fruit shipping operation to see firsthand the love and care that go into each carton of citrus.
