S
eventy-five years of success is no small feat. To withstand the test of time over several decades requires an admirable level of commitment, expertise, and perseverance—all qualities that Bland Farms has wielded to reach its impressive diamond milestone.
Eclipsing 75 years, Bland Farms® has achieved this monumental target while upholding a commitment to maintaining a strong sense of community, pushing agricultural innovation, remaining transparent, and growing its products using sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.
“It’s been an incredible and humbling experience to work alongside my father, Delbert Bland, to take my grandfather Raymond Bland’s vision beyond what I think even he could imagine. We started as a seasonal business and have grown into a multinational operation,” Troy Bland, Chief Executive Officer, says as he begins breaking down the company’s highly regarded legacy. “It’s an exciting time for us, and as we continue the momentum with new business opportunities, we look toward the future and innovative ways to become an even more responsible and sustainable company.”
Quality, community, innovation, sustainability, and transparency make up the pillars of Bland Farms’ high-powered operation. Each of these integral values has not only established the brand’s dynamic foundation but has also informed its ambitious growth strategies. From the very beginning, the trailblazer has operated with the goal of providing high-quality produce and delivering consistent excellence to ensure customer trust.
“Bland Farms’ goals and values have not only endured but have grown stronger over the past 75 years. We continue to forge ahead through innovation, and our state-of-the-art, controlled-atmosphere packaging facility is a testament to our commitment to staying at the forefront of technology in the industry,” shares Troy, highlighting a few of the cutting-edge advancements that have helped the company reach its diamond milestone.
This tech-forward controlled atmosphere facility aligns with Bland Farms’ continuous efforts to be more sustainable. The entire facility will be computer-controlled, further reducing energy and waste.
“It’s a giant leap in fresh produce,” Troy says. “The industry has been traditionally sizing and packing in open-air buildings. Having a complete controlled-atmosphere facility allows us to precisely regulate the humidity, airflow, and temperature throughout every stage of the drying and packing process. This ensures we can consistently deliver a better-quality sweet onion with a longer shelf-life.”
"...as we continue the momentum with new business opportunities, we look toward the future and innovative ways to become an even more responsible and sustainable company."
Troy Bland, Chief Executive Officer, Bland Farms®
All of the facility’s new forklifts are also electric, boosting overall efficiency for the supplier. In fact, within the past five years, Bland Farms has gone from 50 gas forklifts to 15 electric and only 10 gas forklifts. This transition has reduced emissions, energy usage, and waste, all while creating a safer work environment for its employees. In addition, the producer is actively reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the implementation of tractors and farm equipment with advanced, clean-burning diesel engines.
“Our commitment to sustainable farming practices has also deepened,” Troy continues, pointing to another central company value. “As environmental concerns have become more significant, we’ve invested in sustainable agriculture methods to ensure the long-term health of our land.”
As the industry pushes for sustainability, eco-friendly practices, and the preservation of natural resources, Bland Farms aggressively seeks ways to live up to its mission of “Innovation Through Generations.” This includes contemplating, inventing, and applying new practices to preserve its ecology as the brand pushes toward each individual milestone.
“Being efficient and good stewards is just part of what we think is good business,” Troy adds. “In addition to what we’ve done for years to protect the land and the investments we’ve made to improve the efficiency of our operation, we continue to look for ways to reduce packaging waste, like our e-pack bag that uses 80 percent less plastic and is 100 percent recyclable over the traditional full-wrap bags.”
Packing is a particular area of prowess for Bland Farms, as the grower recently received the 2021 Pratt Environmental Impact Award for its decade-long dedication to sustainable packaging.
“As a grower, packer, and shipper of Vidalia® onions, we recognize the need to be flexible and agile. Whether it’s growing, labor, packing, or numerous other issues,” notes Troy. “Bland Farms has been at the forefront of technological changes in the field and the packing facility. Our packing operation is unrecognizable compared to just five years ago due to various state-of-art improvements throughout the packing process. Bland Farms is packing onions more technologically advanced than anyone else in the United States produce industry. This ensures the greatest freshness for our produce.”
As with all monumental birthdays, this thrilling turning point for the supplier offers a great opportunity to look back at all Bland Farms has accomplished over its 75-year run.
"Bland Farms has been at the forefront of technological changes in the field and the packing facility. Our packing operation is unrecognizable compared to just five years ago due to various state-of-art improvements throughout the process."
“Our once seasonal operation is now multinational, with operations in Peru and Mexico. Bland Farms’ domestic operations span the U.S., including Georgia, Texas, Washington, Pennsylvania, and California,” explains Troy. “Today, Bland Farms boasts 2,000 acres of Vidalia onions domestically, with 660 hectares in Peru and 400 in Mexico. Recognizing and acting on the rising demand for sweet onions has enabled us to expand production, forming strategic growing partnerships that have proven extremely valuable and allow us to supply sweet onions year-round.”
Complementing this robust sweet onion portfolio, Bland Farms also proudly supplies Lil’ O’s Premium Mini Sweet Onions, organic sweet onions, and Sand Candy Sweet Potatoes, as well as its Vidalia Brands® products, which consist of salad dressings, sauces, condiments, seasonings, snacks, and more. In a move to avoid food waste by utilizing the entire onion, Bland Farms optimizes the onions not sent directly to stores to produce its Vidalia Brands products, or sells them to industrial customers to be used as ingredients. All other unsold onions are put back into its fields and used as a natural fertilizer.
While presenting a host of valuable cross-promotion opportunities, the Vidalia Brands portfolio allows consumers to get the coveted Vidalia flavor they crave all year, making it a perfect addition to the produce department and grocery aisles.
With this diverse lineup of offerings, Bland Farms serves as a one-stop shop for its retail allies.
“Bland Farms proudly stands out as the sole supplier, owning both domestic and international farms. With no middleman, we offer a solid and transparent partnership from Roots to Retail™,” adds Troy. “Our strategically located facilities yield the freshest, highest-quality onions available. Beyond this, we lead in innovation, always championing sustainability and responsible farming practices.”
In June of this year, Bland Farms celebrated its Diamond Jubilee with employees, their families, and friends at the cabin where Founders Raymond and Rubye Jean Bland once lived. Festive decorations and balloons adorned the tent, while bounce houses and games entertained party goers. Every employee of the farm was celebrated with a certificate of appreciation, in addition to a pin commemorating their years of service. Four employees were also recognized for their 30 years of service with a gold watch. A delicious steak dinner rounded out the event—and, of course, what’s a birthday party without cake?
“When Bland Farms was established over 75 years ago as a small, family-run farm, our primary goals and values were rooted in our commitment to quality, community, and the land that sustained us,” Troy concludes. “While some aspects of the industry have changed significantly over the past 75 years, our core goals and values have remained remarkably consistent. The principles that steered us toward becoming a renowned brand known for excellence in the sweet onion category remain steadfast in shaping our dedication to providing top-tier products and exceptional customer service. Furthermore, our unwavering commitment to sustainability and environmentally conscious farming and packaging is not merely a trendy catchphrase; it lies at the heart of the values upon which Bland Farms was established.”
As these few pages have proven, Bland Farms’ undeniable notoriety and industry influence is an inspiring story 75 years in the making.
So bring on the bright lights, the birthday cake, and the upbeat music. It’s certainly a cause for celebration as this longstanding onion brand glides ever so gracefully into year 76. 
