2000 – Our Founding

Organization

Company founded (Parent Company Abbott IPCO (ABI), Harry Hollander and Bill Van Houten owners)

Board Chairman & Founder – Harry Hollander
Co. President, CEO & Founder – Bob Hartman
Muck Farm Manager – Jack Hendry
Sand Farm Manager – Gary Henderson
Warehouse Operations Manager- Rob Hartman

Farming Practices Innovation

150K Certified Tissue Culture stock plants (1st shipment)

3 Acres raised plastic mulch sand (Hardee County) production (hand harvested)

Farmed Jack Hendry’s 70 acres – Lake Placid, muck

Farmed Dennis Coulter’s 100 acres – Avon Park, muck

Market Developments

Abbott announces to the market that they are in production of caladiums. One of our missions with regard to caladium varieties was to clean up and rejuvenate old market accepted varieties. We accomplished this using in vitro plant cloning or tissue culture techniques and adopted the name Classic Caladiums to reflect these restored classics.

Processing/Warehouse Practices

Traditional processing

Jack Hendry’s warehouse on CR 29, Lake Placid

Leased SR 70 Warehouse, Lake Placid

New Variety Developments

Our second mission with regard to varieties was to develop new 21st century relevant varieties to expand the market for caladiums with new colors, habits, uses and vigor.

Breeding Program began.