TROPICANA'S DIVINE HARVEST
In 1900, Anthony Rossi was born into a farming family in Sicily, Italy. At 21, he arrived in the United States with just $30, seeking adventure.
He worked odd jobs-machinist's assistant, taxi driver, grocery clerk -until he saved enough money to open a grocery store in New York City.
His grocery business flourished through his hard work. One day, someone offered him $30,000 for the store. He sold it with the plan to start a tomato farming business in Florida.
Before leaving NYC, he stopped by the city library to research tomato farming. While he was browsing through the library, a small book-The Life of Christ-caught his eye.
It was oddly misplaced in the agriculture section. He picked it up to return it to the proper shelf, but something about it drew him in.
Once he opened it, he couldn't put it down. He spent the day reading it instead of the farming books he'd planned to study.
Though he couldn't explain why, he couldn't stop thinking about Jesus Christ. The next day, he felt compelled to read the Bible.
From cover to cover, every word captivated him.
John 3:16 struck him deeply:"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
The Bible said that by faith alone he could be saved. There in the library, Anthony made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour. He then started attending church, praying, and studying the Scriptures.
Once in Florida, Anthony's tomato business thrived beyond his expectations. He then used the profit to open several restaurants.
The success of these ventures gave him the capital to start an orange company. Before long, he transformed it into an orange juice business.
He pioneered the use of refrigerated trucks and pasteurization for the very first time in the fruit industry. This marked the beginning of Tropicana.
The company grew rapidly, and by 1978, Tropicana was generating $245 million in annual sales and controlled 30% of the ready-to-serve orange juice market.That same year, at 78, Anthony sold Tropicana to Beatrice Foods for $500 million and retired.
He then said, "At Tropicana, God enabled me to make money.Now He allows me the privilege of giving financial help where it counts most."He used the money to fund several Christian causes, including the Bradenton Missionary Village. This was a $10 million home for retired missionaries on a 100-acre property in Bradenton, Florida.
He also founded the Aurora Ministries to distribute audio tapes of scripture in native languages to dozens of countries around the world.He gave generously to support missionary work both at home and abroad.With a heart full of gratitude, Anthony often said,
"At Tropicana, I had the joy of providing orange juice to nourish the body. But today, I have an even greater joy-sharing what brings life to the soul."
Anthony Rossi's life exemplifies that God's providence guides our paths, even through unexpected detours. "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way" (Psalm 37:23). His radical conversion underscores the power of God's Word to transform lives, as "the word of God is living and active" (Hebrews 4:12). Ultimately, his immense generosity teaches us to be faithful stewards of our blessings, understanding that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). He prioritized eternal impact over temporal gain, proving that true wealth lies in enriching souls.
Next time you drink Tropicana juice, think of Anthony Rossi, who made a fortune and then used it all to help others find faith in Christ.
IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE