Tangerine
Our customers use tangerines because of their naturally sweet flavor, easy processing, and strong consumer appeal in a variety of products. Tangerines have a bright, sweet citrus taste with lower acidity than some other citrus fruits, making them ideal for juices, snacks, desserts, and flavoring applications. Their pleasant flavor enhances products without being overly tart, which is especially appealing in beverages and children’s foods. Tangerines are also rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, supporting immune health and wellness marketing claims. They are commonly processed into juices, concentrates, and extracts, which extend shelf life and make them convenient for large-scale manufacturing while ensuring consistent flavor and quality.
Tangerine can be supplied as organic upon request
Botanical: Citrus reticulata
A Moroccan Speciality
Tangerines are a type of citrus fruit closely related to mandarins, known for their bright orange color and commonly processed into tangerine NFC juice or tangerine juice concentrate. They have a thin, loose skin that is easy to peel and a juicy interior divided into segments. Tangerines are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia and have been cultivated for centuries. They grow on small evergreen trees and thrive in warm, subtropical climates. The fruit is typically harvested in the fall and winter months and may contain seeds depending on the variety.
The tangerine (Citrus reticulata, historically classified within the Citrus tangerina subgroup) is an aromatic citrus fruit celebrated across the global beverage, brewing, flavor, and confectionery industries. Characterized by its loose, easily peeled rind, intense reddish-orange pigmentation, and vibrant flavor profile, the tangerine provides a distinct sensory alternative to standard sweet oranges. It delivers a sharper, more punchy sweet-tart balance, pronounced floral-citrus volatile aromatics, and rich natural carotenoid levels (principally beta-cryptoxanthin).
In commercial fruit ingredient processing, cultivar selection dictates juice color score, sugar-to-acid ratio, and terpene composition:
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Sunburst: A premier commercial processing hybrid developed in Florida (a cross between Two-Fold and Robin oranges). Sunburst tangerines produce fruit with a dark red-orange rind and deeply pigmented juice, high titratable acidity, and robust solids. Sunburst juice is the industry benchmark for blending to elevate color scores in citrus juice matrices.
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Dancy (Heritage Variety): The historic American processing benchmark. Dancy tangerines yield an intensely fragrant, rich juice with a classic floral-citrus bouquet and sweet-tart finish. Prized for single-strength tangerine NFC juice and high-end essential oil extraction.
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Murcott (Honey Tangerine): A late-season mandarin-sweet orange hybrid offering extraordinarily high natural Brix (often exceeding 13.0° Brix single-strength), deep orange color, and rich, syrupy sweetness. Murcott is widely utilized for high-yield tangerine juice concentrate and cloudy beverage bases.
Brothers International partners with origin processors who employ specialized low-pressure inline citrus extraction systems. This mechanical processing isolates the sweet, acid-rich juice sacs without tearing the inner albedo membranes or crushing seeds, while simultaneously expressing pure essential oils from the outer peel (flavedo).
Global Sourcing Through the Brothers International Network:
Tangerine groves require warm, subtropical to tropical climates with sandy, well-drained soils, long hours of daily sunshine, and protection from severe winter freezes. Because commercial citrus crops are susceptible to seasonal freeze events, hurricane damage, and global citrus diseases (such as citrus greening / HLB), maintaining a multi-origin global network is critical for continuous supply. Brothers International connects North American manufacturers to leading citrus agricultural basins through our established network of audited suppliers.
We source high-grade tangerine ingredients from premier global growing belts:
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North America (United States – Florida & California): Florida (the central ridge and Indian River regions) represents the historic domestic center for Sunburst, Dancy, and Murcott processing, delivering superior color and flavor. California supplies fresh-crop processing capacity and specialty organic certified lines.
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South America (Brazil & Argentina): Brazil’s São Paulo citrus belt and Argentina’s Entre Ríos province serve as global processing giants, supplying massive volumes of 65° Brix tangerine juice concentrates, NFC juices, and cold-pressed oils with competitive bulk shipping access.
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Mediterranean & Southern Africa (Spain, Italy & South Africa): Spain and Italy supply premium European-grade tangerine NFC juice and cold-pressed essential tangerine oil, while South Africa provides vital counter-seasonal processing volume during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer.
By coordinating inventory across North America, South America, Europe, and South Africa, Brothers International insulates your manufacturing facility against localized weather anomalies, regional crop shortages, and commodity market volatility.
Harvest Cycles & Continuous Supply Management:
In the Northern Hemisphere (USA, Spain, Italy), the primary tangerine harvest runs from late autumn through spring, typically from November through April, with early varieties (Sunburst/Fallglo) picked first, followed by mid-season Dancy and late-season Murcott. In the Southern Hemisphere (Brazil, Argentina, South Africa), harvesting occurs counter-seasonally from May through September.
Managing these counter-seasonal production windows and coordinating international shipping lanes is a core competency of Brothers International. Our operations and logistics teams oversee multi-quarter inventory allocations, cold-chain maritime transport, USDA/FDA import clearances, C-TPAT supply chain security, and strategic warehousing across North America. Whether your facility requires bulk liquid tankers of single-strength Sunburst NFC juice, chilled drums of 65° Brix concentrate, or aluminum containers of cold-pressed peel oil, our network guarantees ready inventory year-round.
Rigorous Quality Control, Traceability & Compliance:
Processing high-potency tangerine ingredients demands strict technical oversight—specifically regarding USDA citrus color scores, titratable acidity, limonin and naringin bitterness thresholds, volatile oil percentages, and microbiological safety. Every supplier within the Brothers International network undergoes a comprehensive auditing process to guarantee complete supply chain traceability, sustainable farming practices, fair labor standards, and strict compliance with USDA, FDA, and international food safety standards.
Through our network, we deliver tangerine ingredients backed by complete technical documentation and top-tier industry certifications, including GFSI benchmarks (BRC, SQF, FSSC 22000), USDA Organic (NOP), Kosher, Non-GMO, and Halal standards. Our quality assurance protocols include testing for pesticide residues, heavy metals, microbial validation, titratable acidity, aldehyde content (in oil), and Brix adherence under FDA 21 CFR § 101.30.
The Brothers International
Quality Promise
Brothers International and its 4 divisions, Brothers Ingredients, Dennick Fruit Source, Hosh International and Food Partners, are trusted global importers of premium ingredients to major food and beverage manufacturers in North America. We deliver consistent quality and supply across every format the industry demands. Our Tangerine is sourced from the earth’s prime growing regions where farming expertise, climate and soil composition come together to produce Tangerine of exceptional caliber. All of our suppliers undergo a rigorous vetting process to ensure we work with only the highest-quality processors and can fully guarantee traceability, sustainability, and compliance with all international regulations.
Each of our divisions has a specialized operations team to manage shipments and coordinate with customers and suppliers. They work closely with our in-house customs team to ensure efficient clearance, and collaborate with the USDA and FDA to maintain full regulatory compliance. This ensures your ingredients move seamlessly through every stage of import, arriving on time and ready for production with complete confidence. With decades of sourcing expertise and a strong commitment to customer success, you can count on Brothers International to deliver the premium ingredients your products require.
Industry Glossary
A Reference Guide for Fruit Ingredient Terminology
Check out our glossary for a consolidated reference of commonly used terminology across the global fruit ingredient industry. It provides straightforward definitions and context for the language and concepts referenced throughout the industry.
