Sun-Maid Taps Earthbound for Brand Expansion

This partnership pairs a 112-year-old agricultural cooperative with a modern brand licensing agency. Sun-Maid, formed in 1912 by a group of raisin growers in California's San Joaquin Valley, has become one of the world's largest producers of raisins and dried fruits. The iconic "Sun-Maid Girl" logo, featuring Lorraine Collett, was first introduced in 1915 and has been a central part of the brand's identity, undergoing several modernizations over the decades. This collaboration aims to leverage that strong brand recognition in new market categories. Earthbound Brands, founded in 2000, is known for pioneering the "class-to-mass" retail strategy with its successful collaboration between designer Isaac Mizrahi and Target. Their expertise lies in extending brand identities into new product lines across various sectors, including food and beverage. This move is part of Sun-Maid's broader strategy to innovate and appeal to a wider, younger consumer base. Under former President and CEO Harry Overly, the company began introducing new snack-oriented products and made its first-ever acquisition, the organic baby food brand Plum Organics. "Sun-Maid is a brand rooted in tradition, quality and a clear sense of purpose," said Jeff Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Earthbound Brands. "We're excited to collaborate with the Sun-Maid team to develop meaningful brand extensions that stay true to those values." The expansion for Sun-Maid could follow a path similar to other major food brands that have successfully licensed their names for new products. Examples include Baileys entering the ice cream category and Nando's creating a line of sauces and seasonings for grocery stores. Just a day before the Sun-Maid announcement, Earthbound was also named the exclusive licensing agency for Newman's Own, another major food brand looking to expand its footprint in grocery and lifestyle categories.