Lorraine Collett Petersen Lorraine Collett Petersen (December 9, 1892 – March 30, 1983) was an American model hired to promote a corporate trademark as the "Sun-Maid Girl".

With community support, the California Associated Raisin Company was established in 1912. In 1915, the brand name Sun-Maid, coined by advertising executive E.A. Berg, was launched; and in 1918 the company opened a new facility near downtown Fresno, California.

Made from seedless grapes that are specifically treated with sulfur dioxide, then tunnel dried to develop a golden color.

It all started on a warm day in California's fertile San Joaquin Valley. The year was 1912 when an entrepreneurial group of raisin growers agreed over shared dreams and sturdy handshakes to sell raisins as one.

Lorraine Collett Petersen, the model for the glowing young woman on the Sun-Maid Raisin box, died here Wednesday. She was 90 years old.

Made with nothing but grapes and California sunshine, Sun-Maid Raisins' timeless and trusted goodness has been a classically delicious snack for kids and grown-up kids alike since 1912.

CARC debuted with a spectacular marketing gimmick, sending a train pulling sixty raisin-laden freight cars to Chicago, with each car displaying a banner with the slogan, "Raisins Grown by 6,000 California Growers." In 1915, the company introduced its new brand name and trademark, “Sun-Maid.” In 1922, CARC changed its ...

Research shows that raisins could help lower your risk of heart disease by reducing blood pressure and blood sugar. The fiber in raisins lowers your LDL (bad) cholesterol, which reduces strain on your heart. Raisins are also a good source of potassium.

They contribute to our daily intake of fiber, vitamins, and essential minerals. Raisins provide only natural sugars. Raisins make for a great better-for-you snack for kids by helping them reach the recommended five to nine daily servings of fruit.

Etymology. The word "raisin" dates back to Middle English and is a loanword from Old French; in modern French, raisin means "grape", while a dried grape is a raisin sec, or "dry grape". The Old French word, in turn, developed from the Latin word racemus, "a bunch of grapes".

Raisins, sultanas, and currants are made from dried grapes. Today, raisins are available at most supermarkets. They can be made from a wide variety of grape types. Different grapes create different flavors and textures in the raisins.

The Sun Maid girl was an actual young woman named Lorraine Collette who posed for the portrait in 1916. The new digitized Sun Maid maiden still has a red bonnet drawn around her raven hair. But the crates of purple and golden grapes arrayed before her chest are gone now.