Press Room

Bland Farms celebrates major milestone

Bland Farms recently celebrated its 75th anniversary with employees, their families and friends at the cabin where Raymond and Rubye Jean Bland — who established the company in 1948 — once lived. Festive decorations and balloons adorned the tent, while bounce houses and games entertained partygoers for the Diamond Jubilee.

Bland Farms® Promotes Sloan Lott to Director of Sales Role

A long-time Bland Farms® employee is ascending to a new role within the company. Produce industry veteran Sloan Lott will be taking on his newly promoted role as Director of Sales.

Vidalia Sweet Onion shipping kicks off today

Vidalia® Sweet Onions are ready to ship starting today. “We have a beautiful crop this year filled with incredible flavor,” says Troy Bland, CEO of Bland Farms.

Marketer anticipates good year for Vidalia sweet onions

Despite weather challenges, Bland Farms is on track for another big year for its Vidalia sweet onions, says Troy Bland, CEO of the Glennville, Ga.-based marketer. “Our crops struggled with some weather adversities on the front end that impacted some plant stands of the Vidalia sweet onion crop,” Bland said. “But we’ve bounced back and the crop looks great this year, and we’ve got onions in all sizes."

Six Ways to Sell More Vidalia Sweet Onions

Say the name ‘Vidalia’ and for many shoppers, there’s no need to add the word ‘onion.’ Named for Vidalia, GA, this large, sweet hybrid Granex yellow onion with its distinctive flattened shape was first cultivated in the 1930s when a Georgia farmer discovered his low sulfur soil made the onions mild-tasting rather than hot. This new onion had a slow start. However, a major leap forward in its popularity happened with a little retail help. The Piggly Wiggly supermarket, headquartered in Vidalia, recognized the onion’s potential back in the 1960s and put it on their produce shelf.

Keep your ears peeled for a crop full of excitement from Bland Farms

As Bland Farms embarks on a voyage to the Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Exposure Show on March 2, they head to the Final Frontier with stars in their eyes. And one southern star, in particular, will be lighting up booth No. 1033. This year, one of the United States’ largest grower/packer/shipper of sweet onions will kick off its presence at the 2023 SEPC Southern Exposure Show with its new Southern Stars Promotion featuring country music star Billy Currington.

Bland Farms remains big in Vidalia onions

Today, Bland Farms boasts 2,000 acres of Vidalias domestically, 660 hectares in Peru, and 400 hectares in Mexico and is one of the largest growers, packers and shippers of sweet onions in the United States. Bland Farms represents roughly one-quarter of the entire Vidalia sweet onion volume and has among the largest controlled-environment storage capacities in the industry.

Packer 25 Award

The 2022 Packer 25 is our annual tribute to 25 leaders, innovators and agents of change across the fresh produce supply chain. Each year, The Packer invites the produce industry to nominate distinguished veterans, leaders and rising stars of the fresh produce industry.

Smart Sustainability

It’s ironic that some of the land on which the Bland family farms Vidalia onions is under Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) protection. After all, the Army was responsible for shuffling the family to Tattnall County. “My family was originally in Long County. The government condemned the land that is now Fort Stewart shortly after World War I,” says Troy Bland, CEO of Bland Farms. That meant the family was on the move.

Southern Charm Sells!

Troy Bland, CEO of Bland Farms, Glennville, GA, said merchandising opportunities are key to his firm’s marketing operations.

Vidalias Move Into Storage as Harvest Finishes

Troy Bland, CEO of Bland Farms in Glennville, Georgia says it anticipates having supplies of Georgia’s Vidalia onions available into September.

Bland Farms Working With World Series Champion Will Smith

“Will is a Georgia native, so he knows and loves our Bland Farms’ Vidalia sweet onions,” Bland said. “The Blands also love baseball. The start of baseball season ties in perfectly with the start of Vidalia season.”

Onions: The Sweet Difference

The bulk of the sweet onions shipping this fall from Glennville, Ga.-based Bland Farms will come from Peru, with the balance from California and Nevada, said Troy Bland, the company’s CEO.

Bland Farms prepares to ship first Vidalia Onions of the season

“I just get excited when onion season is here,” said Troy Bland, the CEO.

Bland Farms® Teams Up With Atlanta Braves' Will Smith to Launch Campaign

“We have always liked the association with our Vidalia onions ‘Opening Day’ and the beginning of the baseball season, and so what better time to celebrate this than after the Braves just won the World Series,” said Delbert Bland, Owner and President.

No Stopping Georgia: Good Weather & Strong Demand Keeping Farmers Busy

“Our sweet potato program has tremendous growth potential through our Sand Candy partnership. This partnership will allow us to provide customers with a consistent and secure supply of sweet potatoes because of our diversified growing areas in North Carolina and Georgia,” he explained.