Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions

Pure fruit juice concentrates are fruit juices with most of the water removed. Most whole fruit juices naturally are 80 percent to 90 percent water.

During the harvest, the ripened fruit is picked, thoroughly washed and pressed into juice. The fruit juice is concentrated by being placed in a low-pressure chamber, which draws off water with a minimum application of heat. The fruit essence is captured and returned to the concentrate from the water vapor. This preserves the aroma and flavor of the fruit. Santa Cruz Organic® adds only a minimal amount of water to the juice concentrates to reconstitute them into whole fruit juice.

There are two reasons we use fruit juice concentrates:

  • Variety: Although Santa Cruz Organic® presses many fresh fruits into juice, the use of fruit juice concentrates has enabled us to offer a variety of innovative juice-blend flavors.
  • Quality: Santa Cruz Organic® concentrates are produced when the desired fruits are at their best quality. This allows Santa Cruz Organic® to combine Oregon-grown strawberries that are at their peak of perfection in June with California-grown apples that are ripe in September.

Santa Cruz Organic® uses a mild-flavored juice concentrate, such as white grape or apple juice concentrate, as a sweetener to enhance the flavor of the fruit and to balance the acidity found in certain fruit juices, especially cranberry, raspberry, cherry and apricot. Santa Cruz Organic® uses only natural and organic ingredients to help enhance its juices and formulates all of its products to achieve a taste that is natural and delicious.

We are committed to supporting and sourcing organic ingredients which include organic natural flavors.

It is the nature of packaged food products to experience some slight color and flavor degradation during extended storage. Products should be stored in cool temperatures (50° F to 60° F is preferable, but it should not exceed 75° F for extended periods) and should not be exposed to direct sunlight. If you have more questions regarding date codes or shelf life of our products, please call our Consumer Relations Department. Phone: 888-550-9555

Quality Assurance International performs our organic certification. QAI is an accredited certifying agent under the USDA's National Organic Program. Please visit their website at www.qai-inc.com for more information.

In the majority of cases, we source our ingredients from within the United States; some items, however, are not available within the domestic supply chain and are sourced from outside of the country. When we source from locations outside the United States, you can be assured these ingredients also meet our high quality-assurance standards.

Santa Cruz Organic® No Stir Dark Roasted Peanut Butter Spreads contain 100 percent organic, RSPO-IP (Identity Preserved) certified palm oil, which is the highest level of RSPO certification. This certification ensures that our palm oil, which is used as an organic, alternative stabilizer, can be traced back to RSPO-certified mills and plantations. We recognize and share the concerns related to palm oil sourcing and its effects on society and the environment, which is why we are committed to working only with suppliers who are responsible and share the same commitments to people, quality, and the environment as we do. Learn more.

All of our Santa Cruz Organic® juices are pasteurized. Located around the rim of the bottle cap is our pasteurization statement: "Pasteurized for your safety."

Please submit all ideas and information via email in our Contact Us section or by writing to:

Santa Cruz Organic
Consumer Relations Department
37 Speedway Avenue
Chico California 95928

We partner with local retailers and grocery stores to provide coupons either in-store or through their advertising circulars.

Santa Cruz Organic® products are available nationwide. Use our Store Finder to search for Santa Cruz Organic® products at a store near you. You also may be interested in checking with some local, natural food stores in your area. If you would like to see the products available at a particular grocer in your area, we encourage you to speak with your local store managers and request that they stock your favorite Santa Cruz Organic® products.

We recognize individuals with food allergies face particular challenges when making everyday food choices, and we are committed to providing consumers with as much information as possible about the ingredients in our products. Additionally, we follow all relevant U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeling requirements, which includes clearly disclosing the presence of any of the Top Eight Allergenic Foods: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. For the most up-to-date and correct information, we suggest checking the ingredient information located on the package.

Santa Cruz Organic® products are verified "gluten-free." The "gluten-free" claim can be found on the label next to the list of ingredients.

Our juice products allow for a certain amount of sediment to pass through the filtration process. In fact, many of our labels have a disclaimer that reads, "Natural separation may occur. Shake before opening."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration, there is no current evidence that the virus is transmitted through processed food. Given this, there is no threat of contracting coronavirus through the consumption of any Santa Cruz Organic® products.  

All of our Santa Cruz Organic® products are produced in manufacturing facilities in the USA.

At this point in time, we are working with all of our retail partners to ensure we meet their needs and those of their consumers.

The health and safety of our people is always at the forefront of our minds. We will continue following the guidance of local, national and international agencies to inform our decisions and ensure our employees’ continued safety. 

We are continuing to work with our national partners, which include the United Way, Red Cross and Feeding America, among others, to provide support to the people and communities in need.

It is possible that recent concerns around coronavirus are impacting the availability of our products at your preferred retailer. Please know that we are committed to supplying our products to all our retail partners, and our teams are actively managing our business to minimize any disruption. In the meantime, our product locator can help you find other stores in your area that carry our products. We would also recommend considering online purchasing outlets to have our products delivered to you.