Behind The Scenes Of ‘Tart Is Smart’: We Meet The Highest Standards

When you see “Tart Is Smart” on the label of cherry concentrate or juice, it stands for quality in every delicious drop. Our label ensures that the highest standards are met at every step of processing and bottling.

It all begins with juicy, tart cherries, fresh from our family orchards in central Washington. The ripe fruit is rushed to the processing plant where it is carefully washed and pressed. The cherry juice is then extracted, and a concentrate is made and pasteurized with state-of-the-art equipment, according to strict industry regulations.

Safety-sealed containers of the cherry concentrate are transported in a refrigerated truck to the bottling plant. Here, designated “filling rooms” have been sealed off and sterilized, in preparation for the bottling process. Employees who have been specially trained in product handling and sanitation oversee the bottling of both cherry concentrate and juice.

The sparkling bottles are labeled, boxed and on their way to grocery shelves and on-line customers across the nation, brimming with fresh-from-the-orchard taste.

Tart Is Smart processing and bottling facilities have consistently received high ratings in inspections performed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the Washington State Department of Agriculture and the U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Inspectors routinely arrive for scheduled – and unannounced – visits, in which they test and sample products, examine cleaning records and check cleanliness of the facilities and equipment.

So, now you know what goes on behind the scenes of Tart Is Smart. From our family to yours, with only the highest standards in between.