Everyone associates California with raisins (our sincere thanks to the claymation phenomenon of the 80s), but there’s more to California raisins than Saturday morning cartoons and catchy tunes. Virtually all US raisins are grown by approximately 1500 farm families in California’s Central Valley. Over half of those growers are part of the Sun-Maid Cooperative. We met with Jenna Smiley of Sun-Maid to learn more about grower cooperatives and Jenna’s role in the raisin industry.

The Story Behind Sun-Maid: A Central Valley Agricultural Legacy

The Sun-Maid story began in 1912, when a group of Central Valley raisin growers banded together to form The California Associated Raisin Company. Their goal was simple: sell and ship raisins as a single entity to help protect farmers from unpredictable price and demand fluctuations. As a cooperative, the organization could offer growers guaranteed prices.

By 1913, membership had surged to more than 4,400 farmers. In 1915, the group adopted the name Sun-Maid—a cheeky nod to the way raisins are “made” in the sun. The spelling reflected their soon-to-be iconic packaging: an illustration of a “maiden” in a bright red bonnet, standing among the grapevines.

Teamwork makes dreamwork: Grower-owned, farmer-focused

Over a hundred years later, Sun-Maid Cooperative thrives with hundreds of members that represent over half of all California raisin farmers. While the raisins grown by Sun-Maid members are sold under the Sun-Maid brand, being part of a cooperative means that growers aren’t just selling their crop to the brand; they share in the ownership. 

Jenna elaborates, “The farmers who farm the land actually own the company. Every decision we (Sun-Maid) make supports those growers – whether it’s what we’re doing in operations, packaging, or the final product. The grower is at the forefront of our mind.”

Inside Sun-Maid’s Grower Support Team

Being part of a cooperative comes with a wealth of benefits – from continuing education to accurate updates on estimated yields. Jenna is part of the Grower Support Team, a team of experts that facilitate communication between members. Jenna explains, “Sun-Maid is a cooperative, meaning we are grower-owned and all of those growers need to be able to communicate with what’s going on with the business since they’re the owners. The Grower Support Team serves as the liaison between growers and the business and provides support throughout the growing season. We’re with them from dormancy and vine, all the way till harvest and delivery. We also host continuing education meetings for them. We bring in leading industry experts on different diseases and help connect them with people who can educate them even further.”

Meet Jenna Smiley

Growing up on a dairy farm in Fresno County, Jenna was introduced to agriculture at an early age. When she was ten, her family moved to San Diego, leaving the farm behind—but not her love for agriculture and the farming lifestyle.

While attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Jenna pursued a degree in systems management and discovered an interest in grower relations, ultimately tailoring her studies to support that path. Jenna remains committed to the industry and holds a deep respect and admiration for California’s farmers. Jenna joined the Sun-Maid Grower Relations Team in 2024, explaining, “I wanted to be able to help farmers any way I could.” 

Sustainability at Sun-Maid: Growing for the future 

Sustainability is important to California farmers. Conserving natural resources and protecting the land allows families to pass their farms on to the next generation. As a cooperative made up of small family farms, this also holds true for Sun-Maid. Part of the Sun-Maid Grower Relations Team’s focus on continuing education is encouraging growers to embrace advances in sustainable agriculture. Jenna explains, “Sustainability is an initiative across Sun-Maid. From the growers’ smarter, more efficient practices in the field, even to our operations and processing, all the way to the final product.” Listing examples, Jenna cites, “One of the big initiatives right now in agriculture is less burning. So, we have an air burner that our growers can utilize to burn paper trays cleaner. Sun-Maid is always looking for better, more recyclable packaging and cleaner energy. It’s a main initiative that we focus on.”

The Sun-Maid Market: The Central Valley’s Sweetest Destination

While Sun-Maid got its start with raisins, the brand has expanded to include dried apricots, figs, prunes, dates and berries – along with fan favorites like chocolate and yogurt-covered raisins. You’ll find all of these products and more at Sun-Maid Market. Located in the Kingsburg Swedish Village, the Sun-Maid Market offers a spectacular selection of snacks, gift packs and more. Jenna comments, “If you’re on the 99, whether you’re coming from Los Angeles or San Francisco, you should stop by Kingsburg, California, at our Sun-Maid Market Store to see all of our wonderful products.” While you’re there, don’t forget to snap a pic in front of the world’s largest raisin box – ideally with an armful of Sun-Maid raisin boxes in hand. 

Whether you’re a raisin super-fan or just interested in learning more about where food comes from, Jenna encourages everyone to visit the Central Valley of California. She says, “If you wanna really feel more connected to your food, you should come and visit the Central Valley and see the people that work every day to produce even just something as simple as a raisin.”  

Smiling, she concludes, “And while you’re stopping by, feel free to come by the Sun-Maid market and check out all the great products we’ve got. We’re committed to offering wholesome, exciting snacks and ingredients that families can feel good about for generations to come.” 

Visit the Sun-Maid Market

13525 S Bethel Ave, Kingsburg, CA 93631

(559) 897-6363

Open Monday- Friday 9:00 am – 4:30 pm

Article by Hilary Rance. Photography by James Collier.