Raisins in the Sun
Lion raisins begin the journey from our own vineyards and from several hundred other California growers. From the start, our vineyards and our grapes are managed with extensive care  to ensure the best raisin crop possible. 
In the fall, at the peak of their sweetness, the grapes are carefully and naturally dried. Lion Raisins primarily favors early ripening varieties that are dried on the vine and in the shade of an overhead trellis. These varieties, as well as the “DOV” production and processing method, are superior to black sun-dried Thompson Seedless raisins that are laid on the ground to oxidize and bake in the direct sun-light. These lighter-colored DOV raisins grade higher by the USDA, are cleaner, more freeflowing, meatier, better tasing, and more eco-friendly than sun-dried raisins.
Once the raisins have dried sufficiently, they are placed in large bins to store until processed. At Lion's processing plant, the bins of raw raisins are stacked and covered until they are ready for processing.