About Skagit Natural Beverage Company

Skagit Fresh Natural Beverage Company was founded in 2006 by three Northwest Washington apple farmers who set out to create an all natural beverage that celebrates the superior fruit grown in the pristine agricultural region of the Skagit Valley in rural western Washington. Working with the Northwest Agriculture Business Center in Mount Vernon and with funding from State and Federal Departments of Agriculture, the three farmers have developed a value-added product that promises to provide a profitable return and allow them to keep growing the tasty fruit that has made the valley famous. Skagit Fresh Natural Beverages are available in four flavors: Bodacious Blueberry, Big Bad Blackberry, Sassy Strawberry and Ramblin’ Raspberry, and are sold singly and in four-packs of single-serve, 12-ounce glass bottles. For more information, visit www.skagitfresh.com.

Skagit Fresh Sparkling Juices Give Skagit Valley Grown Apples a Second Chance

Recently launched Skagit Fresh Sparkling Juices are giving the apple trees in Skagit Valley a second chance. According to Bow apple farmer Alan Merritt, “we are trying to keep apples in the ground. The last several years have been very tough and have led several Skagit Valley apple farmers to dig up their apple trees.” In fact, acreage devoted to apple production in Skagit County has decreased in the last five years by almost 30%. Competition from imports and industrialized apple farms has greatly reduced profitability for the small apple farmers in the Skagit Valley. The Skagit Valley, located in the northwest corner of Washington State, is known for growing some of the world’s finest seasonal fruits and berries. Three of the remaining Skagit Valley apple farmers are betting that consumers will love the juice from that fruit and have formed the Skagit Fresh Natural Beverage Company. Tulip lovers will also find the sparkling juices at Tulip Town during the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April and May. The product line consists of four flavors: strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry. Each flavor is made with a base of 40% apple juice from Jonagold apples grown in the Skagit Valley; the berry flavoring comes from pure Northwest berry juice. The juices are blended with water and carbonated to produce a low calorie, 100% natural, sparkling juice beverage that is a healthy alternative to soft drinks containing high fructose corn syrup, sugar and chemicals.

The three founding farmers of the new juice brand, Alan Merritt of Merritt Apples, Richard Sakuma of Sakuma Brothers Farms, and Jim Perkins of Perkins Variety Apples have more than 125 years of combined farming experience and deep family ties to the region. Purchases of Skagit Fresh sparkling juices will help keep apple trees in the ground and preserve this delicious fruit for future generations.

Available in four flavors:

Bodacious Blueberry

Big Bad Blackberry

Sassy Strawberry

Ramblin’ Raspberry

For more information:
www.skagitfresh.com