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Farmer walking down row in vineyard checking grapes

Our Story

Crushing the best out of fruit since 1869.

Illustration of a basket of grapes and passion fruit

Welch’s is a co-op owned by farming families across the country who bring their best to every harvest. From their farms to your table, they go the extra mile to deliver a difference you can taste.

We crush the very best out of fruit, so every Welch’s product can help you crush every breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and break time - and all the times in between.


We Are Welch’s

From our families to yours.

A Real Superfruit

A Welch’s Grape goes from the vine to the press in under 8 hours, making sure that sweet, bold taste stays perfectly fresh. From the dark purple skins to the crunchy seeds, Welch’s uses every part of the grape, so you get all the nutrients from this superfruit.

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Close up of Concord grapes hanging on the vine

Meet Some Of Our Family

A male farmer wearing a Welch's cap, driving a tractor

Name

Richard Erdle

Region

Lake Erie in New York

Information

The Erdle Farm grows blueberries, raspberries, but most importantly Concord grapes, an important local crop. Every September since 1968, Silver Creek has celebrated the Concord Grape with an exciting festival that includes a parade, music, and grape stomping.

I couldn’t tell you of a Welch’s farm that’s not a small, family-owned farm. There’s no giant 10,000 acre farm. We don’t do it that way.

Our History

  1. Photo of harvesters working on a Massachusetts vineyard, 1849

    1849

    Ephraim Bull grows the first Concord grape on his farm in Massachusetts.

  2. Signage from 1854 stating, "Welch Grape Juice Factory, Westfield, N.Y. -- Visitors Welcome"

    1854

    Bull places his first harvest of Concord seedlings on the market.

  3. Portrait in black and white of Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch

    1869

    Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch bottles his first batch of grape juice in his kitchen.

  4. Four workers in a Welch's Grape Juice factory, circa 1890

    1890

    The name changes from Dr. Welch’s Unfermented Wine to Dr. Welch’s Grape Juice.

  5. Two workers in a Welch's grape sorting plant, circa 1893

    1893

    Welch’s Grape Juice makes its debut at the World’s Fair in Chicago, becoming a household name.

  6. Close up of grapes on the vine, in black and white

    1897

    Charles Welch processes 300 tons of grapes at Welch’s plant in Westfield, NY.

  7. Vintage signage for Welch's Grapelade: Pure Grape Jam, with painted bread and jam jars

    1923

    Welch’s introduces its delicious Concord Grape Jelly to the world.

  8. Auditorium filled with guests at the National Grape Cooperative Annual Meeting, circa 1945

    1945

    The National Grape Cooperative holds its First Annual Meeting.

  9. Original Welch's Frozen Grape Juice Concentrate flavors

    1949

    A pioneer in frozen concentrate, Welch’s introduces Frozen Grape Juice Concentrate.

  10. National Grape Co-Operative Association Inc. & Welch Grape Juice Company logos on black background

    1956

    National Grape purchases Welch Grape Juice Company.

  11. Factory worker running the assembly line for canned Welch's drinks

    1967

    New products are introduced, from fruit spreads to fruit punch.

  12. Conveyor belt loaded with Welch's jellies squeezable containers

    1985

    A first for the industry, Welch’s jellies and preserves are sold in squeezable containers.

  13. Rows of a vineyard on an overcast day

    2005

    The largest crop in company history is received, measuring over 414,000 tons.

Welch's famous juice stand at Disneyland, purple hue

Fun Facts

Mickey’s Main Squeeze

In 1955, Welch’s appeared on The Mickey Mouse Club and opened the famous juice stand at Disneyland.

Where Our Farmers Grow Grapes

Where Our Farmers Grow Grapes

Every Welch’s product is made from Concord and Niagara grapes grown at family farms across the United States. Requiring the right mix of sunshine, rainfall, and cool nights, grapes can be picky about climate - so we grow in regions with the perfect conditions.