Organically Grown in Washington, USA.

Organic Processor Certification

According to the Organic Food Laws of Washington State, food may be sold as marked "organic" if it has been grown in fields in which synthetic fertilizers and herbicides have not been used for at least three years. Each product comes with a "Certified Organic" mark when it is first imported to our company in Japan, but we were not allowed to mark our final products as "organic" without inspection by a Washington State offical. After long-term negotiation with a state representative, the hoped-for inspection came true in January 2000. And in the following March we were granted certification as an organic processor. We turned out to be the very first processing plant to be certified organic in all of Japan. This allowed all of our final products, made from grapes grown in the Yakima Valley in Washington, to carry the "Certified Organic" mark on their labels.

The Yakima Valley has very little rain but lots of sunshine and is almost like a desert. The U.S. Federal and state governments together have laid down irrigation in the Yakima Valley at a rate of about 10,000 hectares per year. There is a 20°C (68 F) difference between the temperatures of day and night, and humidity is extremely low - an ideal surrounding for the growing of healthy, sweet and well colored grapes.

Even under such suitable conditions, considerable work and effort must be made by each farmer to ensure a good crop. Weeds are kept down with the use of mechanical hoes, and in cases of a rapid increase of harmful insects, they have to be removed by hand or by the introduction of a natural enemy. Anyone who grows organic products has to be strong-willed and follow the policies that they 1) would not appreciate themselves or their families exposed to such chemicals, 2) would not expose others to such chemicals, and 3) would like to keep the natural food chain as balanced as it can be as they run their farms. Everyday, with this in mind, delicious and safe grapes are grown.

Washington State Department of Agriculture Defines "Organic"

1. Base fruit must be grown in fields where no chemical fertilizers or pesticides have been used for at least 3 years.
2. Sanitation and quality of products must be strictly controlled at a certified processor or manufacturer.
3. Base fruits or yeast used for fermentation must not be genetically engineered.
4. Certified vineyards and certified manufacturers must be inspected annually to maintain their certification.

Free Trade of Non-Citrus Fruits

As soon as the free trade of grape juice began on April 1, 1990, we contracted with Concord farmers, grape processors and wineries of the Yakima Valley where organic farming and processing had already begun. Grapes were grown and processed in the Yakima Valley according to our standards and then were imported to Japan where the final processing took place. At that time, organic wine was not so popular in the Japanese market. However, the growing health awareness of consumers has helped to make our products more appreciated.

Good Quality from Healthy Fruits

Alps products made from organically grown fruits in Washington, USA provide you with the pure, refreshing taste and aroma of fruits as they should be - as they naturally are.