Mixon Fruit Farm Owners One Step Closer To Opening Food Truck

BRADENTON, FL — While Mixon Fruit Farms will close for good this summer after 84 years in business, its owners plan to remain active in the community by opening a Mixon food truck.

Now, Dean and Janet Mixon are one step closer to making the food truck a reality. The couple has purchased a food trailer from Orlando's One Fat Frog, one of the largest food truck and trailer dealers in the U.S.

"It's official! Mixon's may be closing but Dean and Janet Mixon are taking Mixon Fruit Farms on the road," the farm's staff wrote in a Facebook post. "Thank you to Mario and his team at One Fat Frog Foodtrucks (sic) for helping make Janet's Foodtruck (sic) Dream come true!"

• Also Read: 'It's Very Sad': Mixon Owners Discuss Decision To Sell Citrus Farm

They expect to have the truck by October.

The couple put the iconic citrus farm at 2525 27th Street E. in Bradenton on the market for $15.8 million in February.

A number of factors led to the difficult decision — a declining citrus industry hit hard by disease in recent decades, stringent regulations, rising insurance costs, difficulties finding and retaining employees — the couple told Patch.

Mixon's store and other areas open to the public will close for good July 29, while the farm will remain open for the event rentals it has currently booked through January 2024, they said.

Janet told Patch in February that she hoped to launch a Mixon food truck serving all the favorites from the farm café’s menu.

“At least the ice cream, the pressed Cuban, the grilled cheese. Our most popular items,” she said. “People keep asking me, ‘What about the ice cream? Where can I get the ice cream?’”

This food truck will help her stay connected with her longtime customers and Mixon’s legacy.

“We’ve been a part of this community for so long and we love it. We love this area and the memories we’ve made here,” Janet said. “It feels like we’re doing really good about this (sale) but when it comes time to do this, it’s going to be really hard.”