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 Logo in use since April 2020 | |
| Company type | Agricultural cooperative |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | California Associated Raisin Company |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Area served | California |
| Products | Raisins and dried fruit |
| Website | www |
Sun-Maid Growers of California is an American farmer-owned cooperative of raisin growers headquartered in Fresno, California. Sun-Maid is one of the largest raisin and dried fruit processors in the world. As a cooperative, Sun-Maid is made up of approximately 850 family farmers who grow raisin grapes within a 100-mile (160-kilometer) radius of the processing plant. Sun-Maid also sources dried fruit beyond this geographical area.
Sun-Maid raisins are packaged in a red box featuring the “Sun-Maid Girl” wearing a red sunbonnet and holding a tray of fresh grapes. Sun-Maid raisins are grown in the Central Valley of California, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, a region known for its climate perfect for growing grapes to make raisins. The grapes are picked at harvest time, usually late August to early September, and dried in the sun, either by hand-picking them and laying them on paper trays, or allowing them to dry on the vine (DOV) for mechanical harvesting. Sun-Maid ships to customers throughout the United States and more than 60 countries around the world.
Sun-Maid produces more than 200 million pounds (90 million kilograms) of natural raisins annually. Nearly half of all Sun-Maid raisins are packed for consumer sales, whether in a box, a bag, or a canister in varying sizes. The other half are sold as an ingredient to bakeries and cereal companies as raisin paste and raisin concentrate. The Thompson Seedless grape is the most popular variety used to make raisins.
Besides raisins, Sun-Maid sells a full line of dried fruit, such as figs, dates, cranberries, apples, prunes, apricots, and tropical fruits. Sun-Maid also sells yogurt-covered raisins.
The company maintains extensive brand licensing and food service operations. The Promotion in Motion Companies, Inc. under license from Sun-Maid, produces Sun-Maid raisins covered in milk chocolate.