Citra Products Featured in Museum Exhibit

Products from a nostalgic brand reminiscent of old Florida vacation souvenirs, Citra Products of Florida, are among the items being featured at the Manatee County Agricultural Museum’s exhibit Citrus Kitsch: Memories of Old Florida through Feb. 18.

Citra will have products, including its flagship product from 1910, a wooden “citrus sucker,” on display at the exhibit, which explores the citrus industry in Florida through souvenirs, according to the museum. The exhibit includes early 20th century postcards of packinghouses and groves, citrus tools like the Citra Sipper sold in grove stands, and the characters used to sell "Florida Gold”.

Citra hosted Nan Norman, granddaughter of the company’s Founder Charles Schiller, at the opening reception Nov. 10 at the museum, according to Kelly Abercrombie, Citra Products CEO. 

Today made from plastic, the Citrus Sipper is a flagship product in the company’s line, which also includes the Mr. Skinner citrus peeler, an array of citrus spoons and knives, grapefruit corer, strawberry huller, citrus peelers, mini juicer, and the O.J. Squeater, another device allowing juice to be sipped directly from oranges.

Citra Products of Florida, headquartered in Sarasota, is a U.S. producer of fruit eating kitchen housewares and traces its roots to 1910. Schiller invented what originally was termed a citrus sucker, a wooden device that allowed juice to be sipped directly from the orange itself. In 2012, Citra Products was purchased by McClain’s Old Florida Gourmet, a regional distributor of shelf-stable gourmet food, candy and Florida specialties and novelties. All Citra products are made in America and in keeping with the company’s long tradition of partnering with nonprofit organizations, special education students have gained work training, job experience, and life skills by assembling the products.