Raisins Head for Japan: For the first...

Raisins Head for Japan: For the first time, California raisins--about $1.5 million worth--are headed for Japanese store shelves. The raisins were exported to Japan from Oakland by California Dried Fruit Co., a consortium of 18 San Joaquin Valley companies that grow and process raisins. The sale of bulk raisins culminates four years of talks with Japanese officials. The company also developed packaging and advertising to meet Japanese standards and has licensed Japanese importers and distributors to use the California dancing raisins logo.