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We
began as Chase & Company in Sanford,
Florida. The company was founded by Sidney
Chase and his brother Joshua. It began by
selling fertilizer, growers' supplies, and
insurance to the local citrus growers.
Our first expansion was
in 1886 when the Chase brothers purchased
several orange groves. They were very successful
in selling their citrus crops. Seeing their
success, local growers asked the company to help
them sell their crops. Sunniland became one of the most successful companies of
its kind in Florida. Sanford became the largest
orange shipping point in the state.
The Great Freeze of
1894-1895 devastated the citrus industry.
The economy of the state faltered. As growers
went bankrupt, the sale of fertilizers and
grower supplies virtually came to a halt. But
Sunniland persevered, and dedicated itself to
restoring the citrus industry and its community.
In 1904, the company built its first
fertilizer plant. At the time, Central
Florida was a relatively isolated farming
region. The local citrus growers found it
difficult to buy supplies. Identifying this
need, Sunniland opened a farm supply store to
provide local growers with baskets, hand tools,
and seeds.
Word of Sunniland's
integrity spread throughout the
region. Its reputation as a dependable
business and community servant helped expand the
company. As it grew, an office was opened in
Jacksonville. In 1914, the company was
incorporated.
Throughout our history,
we have changed to meet the needs of the
industry and our community. But we have
always maintained the values of the Chase
brothers. Some of our major milestones
include:
In 1920, the insurance business was sold. to
focus on the
agricultural and growers supply operations.
Most of the vegetable
fields and groves are sold in 1928 to focus on
the growers' supply business. This sale
included a tract of land that later became
Coral Gables.
In the 1930s and 1940s,
the state began to change. Residential areas
grew, and agriculture began to decrease.
Sunniland refocused its business to
residential lawn and garden supplies.
Sunniland landed its first major retail account in 1954.
Through its business with Sears and Company,
efforts remained focused on the residential
market.
In 1979, Sunniland was bought by Reichhold Limited of
Toronto.
Lee P. Moore buys
Sunniland Corporation in 1982 After the
purchase, company operations are returned to
Sanford, Florida.
In 1992, Thomas W. Moore
assumed the duties of President and CEO of
Sunniland Corporation.
Throughout the 1990s, the
company continued to expand to 17 locations
in Florida and Georgia.
Despite the changes
that we have gone through, Sunniland continues
to conduct business with integrity. We have
never forgotten how the Chase brothers turned a
local farming company into a large corporation
through simple, honest business. Our tradition
of dependability and service continues to carry
us forward.
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