Commonly Asked Questions
1. What is Ultra-lightly pasteurized?
A gentle pasteurization process that delivers the quality and flavor of freshly squeezed juice with the added benefits of Food Safety and Extended Shelf Life. Standard commercial pasteurization "over heats" the juice, thereby destroying the flavor. Our process uses just enough heat and time to eliminate any harmful bacteria that may be present, but does not destroy the enzymes, flavor and nutritional value of fresh juice.
2. How can Sun Orchard produce high quality juice year round?
Sun Orchard sources peak season fruit from California, Florida, Arizona and Texas and blends freshly squeezed juices throughout the year to produce consistent, high quality juices and juice based beverages no matter what time of year it is.
3. Does Sun Orchard use any juice concentrates in its products?
Only in proprietary special blends requested by customers.
4. What's the difference between concentrate and condensed?
Sun Orchard produces versions of Margarita and Lemonade in condensed formulas. Simply put, condensed versions are identical to "ready to serve" formulas except we didn't add the filtered water to the base ingredients of freshly squeezed juice and pure cane sugar. Condensed versions require you to add the water to make the finished product.
5. Does Sun Orchard sweeten any of its products with high fructose corn sweetener (HFCS)?
When added sweetness is needed for products such as Lemonades, Margaritas, and Rendezvous Bay Premium Mixers, only pure cane sugar is used.
6. How much do I have to buy on an annual basis for Sun Orchard to create a proprietary product for me?
The decision to produce a proprietary product for a customer is based on volume and production schedules. We would welcome the chance to explore a proprietary product with you. Please let us know of your interest and someone will be in touch with you in a timely manner.
7. How has the low-carb craze affected the juice business?
Although one in five people claim to have been on a low-carb diet over the last two years, the consumption of what are considered "premium" juice products has increased. Coinciding with the low- carb craze, consumers have begun to shift their beverage consumption patterns away from carbonated soft drinks to bottled water, lemonades and other juice-based beverages and diet beverages as they seek alternatives that are considered to promote "wellness" and be more "healthful."
8. There are still companies that sell non-pasteurized juices in the marketplace. Are they safe to drink?
Ninety-Eight percent of the juice in the U.S. is pasteurized to some extent. The USDA, FDA and Centers for Disease Control all strongly recommend that consumers drink only pasteurized juice and juice- based products. This is especially important for young children, the elderly and people with diminished immune systems. Why take the chance on food-borne illness with un-pasteurized juice?9. Why do Sun Orchard lemonades taste so good?
Most lemonades in the marketplace are artificially flavored and sweetened with little or no lemon juice in them and a "laundry list" of ingredients that you can't pronounce. Is that how Grandma made lemonade? Sun Orchard's list of ingredients for Lemonade is short and easy to pronounce - freshly squeezed lemon juice, pure cane sugar and purified water. Compare that with the list of ingredients on other products that call themselves lemonade.
10. What if I need equipment to serve Sun Orchard juices and juice-based beverages?
Sun Orchard products are packaged to be poured straight from the bottle. If equipment is needed, Sun Orchard will work with you to source dispensing equipment that will work well with freshly squeezed products like ours.
11. Why do some juice brands have a much longer shelf life then Sun Orchard's?
Shelf life can be extended by increasing the heat and duration of the pasteurization process. Sun Orchard uses an "ultra light" pasteurization process that produces a product which mirrors the characteristics of freshly squeezed, un-pasteurized juices without any of the Food Safety issues. Shelf life can be extended by using higher temperatures for longer periods of time. The result is a product that loses the freshly squeezed characteristics which consumers demand.
12. If I place an order with Sun Orchard today, when can I expect to get it?
Sun Orchard is a "Just in Time" manufacturer, meaning we produce products based on orders in hand. We carry no inventory; therefore, an order received today for Orange Juice will be bottled the next time we produce Orange Juice according to our production schedule, then shipped immediately. This process produces the freshest products possible with the maximum shelf life that ultra-light pasteurization can provide.
13. Does Sun Orchard make products for retail sale?
Sun Orchard's business is Foodservice. Our passion is to make great products for North America's finest dining and drinking establishments.
14. Where can I get Sun Orchard products?
Products produced by Sun Orchard are available from most narrow-line or broad-line foodservice distributors or produce suppliers. For a list of distributors in your area, please contact our Arizona Customer Service Department at 1-800-505-8423 or our Florida Customer Service Department at 1-877-875-8423.
