Raising the Bar on Raisins in California’s Central Valley

Caruthers Raisin Packing Co. was born out of a simple but powerful idea: if growers were going to do the hard work of producing quality raisins, they should also have more control over how those raisins were packed, marketed and sold. 

That belief brought a group of California raisin growers together in 1985 to pool their resources, build their own packing facility and, as Dennis Housepian, president of the company, puts it, “control our own destiny.”

At the time, the founding growers were delivering their crops to other packers in the industry. Over time, they decided it made more sense to invest in themselves. 

“They formulated, put our money together and built the facility in 1985,” Housepian said. 

What started as a single plant has since evolved into a far more modern operation. The company outgrew its original facility and, in 2006, moved into a new, state-of-the-art packing plant designed to handle today’s food safety, quality and customer requirements.

From the beginning, Caruthers Raisin Packing focused on serving a wide range of markets rather than relying on a single channel. Much of the business today is still centered on retail private label programs, supplying dedicated supermarket chains in the United States and Europe. 

At the same time, the company does a significant amount of industrial packing for major cereal manufacturers and bakeries across the U.S., along with export business to Japan, a long-standing and important market for California raisins.

“We don’t have all our eggs in one basket,” Housepian said. “You never know which way the market’s going to go from day to day, so I think we have ourselves pretty well covered in that respect.”

That flexibility has been critical as the retail landscape has changed. Over the years, consolidation among grocery chains in both the U.S. and abroad has made private label opportunities more complex. Housepian describes it as “chasing the bouncing ball,” as regional and independent operators are absorbed into larger corporate structures. The rise of national chains and box stores has reshaped buying patterns and reduced the number of smaller, locally focused customers.

Despite those challenges, Caruthers Raisin Packing has remained focused on quality as its primary differentiator. 

“Pricing obviously plays a lot into it,” Housepian said, “But more than anything, prices are forgotten long after, but quality is always remembered.”

Quality control starts at the farm gate. The company works with growers under yearly contracts and emphasizes consistent, high-quality fruit. All incoming raisins are subject to USDA inspection to ensure they meet minimum federal standards, followed by additional specifications set by individual customers. From there, the fruit moves through an extensive cleaning and processing system that includes capping, washing, stemming, sizing, laser sorting and re-cleaning before it is packed for retail shelves or industrial use.

“It’s quite extensive,” Housepian said. “For basically a grape that’s been dried, there’s a tremendous amount that happens before it ever reaches the consumer.”

Operating under Federal Marketing Order 989 means USDA inspectors are on site whenever the facility is running, making federal oversight a constant part of daily operations. Beyond that baseline, customer demands have driven a steady expansion of certifications and audits over the years. Third-party food safety certifications, kosher certifications and frequent customer-driven audits are now part of normal business.

“The evolution from when we opened the doors in 1985 to what’s required today has gone on light years beyond,” Housepian said. “It seems like we’re constantly being audited and certified by one organization or another.”

Geography also plays a defining role in the company’s success. Located in California’s Central Valley, Caruthers Raisin Packing sits in what Housepian describes as one of the most ideal agricultural regions in the world. 

“The combination of fertile soil, heat, low humidity and available water creates a microclimate that is uniquely suited for raisin production,” he said. “You can’t go and grow raisins in Texas or the South. The humidity prevents that. Here, everything just lines up.”

While raisins remain the core of the business, the company has expanded its offerings in response to customer needs. Retailers increasingly asked whether Caruthers could serve as a one-stop shop, allowing them to pick up multiple dried fruit items on a single truck. That demand led the company to add products such as prunes and cranberries alongside its raisin lines, broadening its role without straying far from its dried fruit expertise.

Private label remains a key part of the strategy, particularly as economic conditions fluctuate, which has led to an increased interest in private label in recent years.

Internally, Caruthers Raisin Packing prides itself on staying lean and service-oriented. The company operates with a small team of master brokers covering different territories, supported by a streamlined office staff handling everything from grower relations and shipping to invoicing, insurance and human resources. 

What has helped the company remain relevant as the number of raisin packers has declined is a focus on personal service. Face-to-face contact, follow-up and relationship-building remain central to how the company does business. 

“Customers still value taking the time to come out and see them,” Housepian said. “Those relationships become more meaningful and more valuable for both sides.”

Looking ahead, Housepian sees both uncertainty and opportunity as retail, technology and generational shifts continue to reshape the industry. One of his long-standing hopes is to see dried fruit repositioned in grocery stores, moving raisins out of the baking aisle and into produce, where they better align with today’s health-conscious consumers. 

“Dried fruits are a perfect fit for healthy eating,” he said. “Making that transition is difficult, but it makes sense. Raisins and dried fruits are naturally associated with healthy eating. They have a long shelf life of 9-12 months, and do not require climate control, making dried fruit ideal for filling unused areas in the produce department.”

For Housepian, the appeal of the business remains rooted in relationships and problem-solving. He enjoys negotiating, working with customers and finding new ways to help them grow. 

“The more difficult it is to develop a relationship, the more meaningful that relationship becomes,” he said.