Our Story

We have been, and always will be, pioneers in sustainability and organics.

Our story begins with revitalised orchards in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Nature-lover and Founder John Battendieri had a vision for what organic food could become. He spent the early 1970’s rescuing high-quality, flavorful organic fruits from revived orchards to press into delicious and bold ‘Mr. Natural’ juices to share.

The spirit of those first organic orchards lives on in the Santa Cruz Organic® brand you see today.

After this first venture, Battendieri began the company we know as Santa Cruz Organic®, and now our organic products range from fruit juices to blends, lemonades, sauces and more.

We believe nature itself is the truest form of art.

We choose to partner with farmers who share our commitment to sustainability. Each year, we buy our fruit from hundreds of carefully selected organic growers, who represent thousands of acres dedicated to organic practices.

In our opinion, high-quality organic fruit makes the most delicious products. From harvest to table, we’re thinking about how we can make the highest quality products in sustainable, environmentally friendly ways.

This is nature, uncensored.

We were among the first:

Company to offer a wide range of 100% organic juices and blends

Juice processors to use all organic fruit

People to create packaged organic products

 

Certified USDA Organic

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Non-GMO Project Verified

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Certified USDA Organic • Non-GMO Project Verified •

Why choose organic?

All Santa Cruz Organic® brand products are Certified USDA Organic.

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture's certified organic seal lets consumers know which products are certified organic and assures them that the products have met strict government standards.

  • It's common sense: Well-balanced soils grow strong, healthy plants and delicious fruits and veggies!

  • The reduction of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching from pesticides and fertilizers done in combination with soil building protects and conserves water resources.

  • Soil is the primary focus of organic farming. By building soil, organic growers help prevent soil erosion.

  • Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at minimizing agriculture's impact on the environment.

  • The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) can have unforeseen and detrimental effects on our environment. Organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.

  • Organic farming may be one of the few survival tactics left for the family farm and the rural community. By choosing organic practices, farmers create a value-added product that can be sold at a rate that supports their livelihood.

  • Now, most food categories have organic alternatives. We’re 100% in support of consumers being able to choose more organic products in their regular grocery stores.

Committed to sustainability

Sustainability is just as important to Santa Cruz Organic® as it is to our parent company, TruRoots Company. Together we’re prioritizing sustainable resources such as on-site solar electricity generation. This investment, combined with our purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), offsets the energy used to produce our products.

Both our Chico, CA and Havre de Grace, MD manufacturing facilities were awarded with TRUE Platinum Zero Waste Certification — the highest level available — by Green Business Certification Inc.™

 
 
 

This means our plants are successfully diverting at least 90% of waste from landfills and the environment.

Our Chico plant is committed to reusing waste whenever possible. That includes rebuilding pallets, sending fruit pulp to use as animal feed and waste sent to compost. We've reused 85% or more of the plant's waste products for 4 consecutive years.

At our Maryland plant, we're working to reduce the amount of water used in the pasteurization process, saving up to 50,000 gallons of water a day.

 

Grower Stories

Stemlit Growers have been a Santa Cruz Organic® partner for over 10 years. Compost is the cornerstone to their organics; it’s what they feed their trees and it’s essential to the sustainability of the orchard—it grows the orchard in its entirety! From this rich organic compost grows the juicy delicious organic apples we use in Santa Cruz Organic® juice and apple sauce.

Santa Cruz Organic© sauces and beverages are part of the TruRoots Company family of brands, which also includes R.W. Knudsen Family©, the gold standard in fruit & vegetable juices, and TruRoots™ organic grain-based foods. We’re excited to bring you beloved favorites and fresh innovation inspired by the pioneering spirit with which our brands were founded.