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OUR PROCESS

Dried fruit processing
is an art and a science.

The art is learned from experience, and we have over 45 years of it. We’ve conquered variables that most packers don’t know exist. It’s this intrinsic feel that allows us to be as flexible and accommodating as our customers need.

The science, on the other hand, is driven by innovation. National Raisin Company has the most technologically advanced dried fruit factory in the world. That’s right, the world. And we don’t just invest in the technology; we invest in the integration and function of it. This means strategically adapting our process when needed and ensuring the skill level of our technicians always surpasses the equipment.

Now we can’t give all our secrets away, but here’s a quick look at a few stages in our process.

RECEIVING

We receive over 50,000 tons of raisins annually; every single load is inspected by the USDA to meet the incoming raisin grade standards.

Sorting/Grading

The fruit is graded for size and sorted using stemmers and vacuums to remove any extraneous vegetative matter.

Hydrating

The fruit is washed and re-hydrated to meet the desired level of moisture.

Lasers/X-rays

Throughout processing, the fruit encounters x-ray technology, metal detectors, rare earth magnets, six different lasers, and other foreign material detection systems.

Applications

Depending on the customer’s specifications, the fruit may be glycerin-infused, sugar-coated, vegetable oil-treated, or processed into juice concentrate or paste.

DID YOU KNOW...

National Raisin Company receives approximately 96,000,000,000 raisins each year. That’s just about the number of stars in our galaxy.