It’s not often that a company is able to celebrate 100 years in business, but Manzana Products Company, where North Coast Organic apple products are made, is doing just that. Manzana is a historic apple cannery nestled in Sebastopol, California’s Green Valley. From its humble beginnings in 1922 as a small fruit drying operation, today Manzana makes apple products that are distributed across the United States and throughout multiple countries around the globe.
Originally called Oehlmann Evaporator when owned and operated by husband-and-wife team, Rudolph and Maude Oehlmann, in 1945 the company’s name was changed to Manzana Products Company. Manzana is the Spanish word for apple, and the name was selected to honor the many Latin Americans that were employed by the company.
Quite an achievement
Achieving 100 years of continuous operation is quite a milestone for Manzana, particularly given the history of the Sebastopol area as an apple growing and apple product manufacturing region. In the 1940s, nearly 15,000 acres of apple orchards blanketed the fields around Manzana, growing to over 22,000 acres in the 1980’s. But times changed. In recent decades, wine grapes became more profitable than apples, and orchard after orchard was replanted with grapes. Additionally, many U.S. apple juice makers began using apple juice concentrate from China and other countries to make their juice, rather than fresh apples grown in the U.S.
The impact of encroaching vineyards and apple juice concentrate on Sebastopol’s local apple production industry was devastating. Not only did acres of apple orchards disappear, many of the more than a dozen apple processing facilities that worked alongside Manzana went under. By 2004, Manzana was the last apple processor in the Sebastopol area. In spite of all those changes, a few local farmers have remained in the apple growing business, supplying Manzana for several generations, including the Dutton Ranch and Marshall Ranch.
What has helped Manzana achieve this success?
Manzana attributes its ongoing success primarily to two factors: continuous innovation and its parent company, Agrial.
Continuous innovation: Manzana, particularly through its North Coast Organic Brand, has continuously innovated to help consumers lead healthier lifestyles. As more and more consumers have realized the benefits of eating organic, North Coast Organic has been there for them, supplying products made with certified organic apples that contain no added sugars, preservatives, colorings or flavorings. In 2013 North Coast Organic began offering apple sauce in pouches, a convenient way to snack on the go, which were already very popular in Europe. In 2015, Probiotic apple sauce was developed in pouches and is now available in glass jars. And in 2017, Fruit+Veggie apple sauce was born, making it easier to get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables. These innovations and more have kept North Coast Organic front and center whenever consumers think of healthy, wholesome apple products.
Manzana’s Acquisition: Manzana has been able to thrive and innovate only because they were acquired by Agrial, a French farming and food cooperative with 150 food production sites in 11 countries. Very soon after the acquisition in 2012, Agrial helped Manzana upgrade its production lines to increase line capacity and expand capabilities. Agrial shares North Coast Organic’s values of sustainability and stewardship through preserving the earth and providing healthy and safe food for everyone. Today, Manzana’s ability to make North Coast Organic’s ever-popular apple sauce in pouches and fruit and veggies in pouches is due to Agrial.
Manzana joins a special club of American brands
In turning 100, Manzana Products Company joins a very special club of 100-year-old (or more) American brands, including: Levi Strauss, L.L. Bean, Coca-Cola, UPS, Boeing, Harley-Davidson, Target, Whirlpool, Colgate, Equifax, Ford and more.
North Coast Organic is proud to be part of the Manzana family
At North Coast Organic, we are very proud to be part of the Manzana family. The commitment to quality established by Manzana’s founders, Rudolph and Maude Oehlmann back in 1922, lives on today in everything we do and every product we make.
Where to buy our products
If you’d like to purchase our apple sauces, juices, ciders, vinegars, fruit + veggie pouches and other products, we invite you to check out where North Coast Organic is sold at markets and grocery stores near you.
North Coast Organic apple products are made in Sebastopol, CA from certified organic apples. They contain no added sugars, preservatives, colorings or flavorings.
