Rooted in Family
Since the founder of our family, William Hazelton, planted the first seeds of what is now an eighth-generation farm, we’ve held true to our roots.
Our History
Explore our vibrant 150+ year history
1853
Cattle ranchers William and Mary Hazelton settled their family along the banks of the Kings River in California’s Central Valley.
1866
William Hazelton returns from a cattle trip to Mexico, saddlebags stuffed with oranges. In the spring his wife Mary plants the seeds and the first two orange trees take root. These were the first orange trees in Fresno County.
1873
The first ranches are developed and the Hazelton family begins to embrace life in the business of growing citrus.
1961
Douglas Hazelton joins his father Ed and begins farming oranges. Father and son work together to build a family tradition from the ground up.
1977
Douglas Hazelton identifies the need for a quality independent shipper and packer in the Sanger area. With the help of his daughters and son-in-laws, Doug begins packing his own fruit and Kings River Packing, Inc. is founded.
1997
The busy facility undergoes large-scale renovations. The packinghouse is remodeled and modernized.
2007
In order to increase production and limit risk an automated grading system with frost detection is added to the operation in order to deliver better fruit during freeze years.
2012
With the addition of state-of-the-art harvest/packing equipment what was once just two trees, has become a successful family-owned growing packing and shipping company with international reach.
2022
Planning for future generations, family members add additional packinghouses under the KRP umbrella with Cobblestone Fruit and Jireh Packing.
Grown to Share
What began as a passion for cultivating premium citrus has evolved into a mission to foster growth and community. Our citrus is, and always will be, Grown to Share.
On mission...
To honor God by positively impacting the lives of our employees, growers, customers, and community.
Humility
We are confident in what we do, but not arrogant in our approach.
While we can look back and be proud of the work we have done, we will not dwell on our past accomplishments. We value the contributions of others equally, leading to greater cohesion and success in achieving shared objectives.
Integrity
We do what is right, even when no one is watching.
Without integrity, we will not have the impact we desire. Integrity is the foundation upon which we build trust with those with whom we do business. We take this very seriously.
Excellence
We strive to do our best in every aspect of our work.
Excellence encompasses professionalism, attention to detail, purposeful action, and unwavering accountability. Our goal is not perfection, but rather emphasizing continual improvement and responsible growth.