American Seedless Raisin Company.

Historical Note

Franklin P. Nutting, born October 18, 1876 in Worcester, Massachusetts, moved to Berkeley when he was seven years old. His father, W. R. Nutting, in 1894 founded the American Vineyard Company headquartered in Boston to commercialize the Thompson seedless raisin. Franklin, attorney for the company from 1901-1911, purchased control of the business in 1911 and moved the headquarters from Boston, MA to San Francisco, where he practiced law. The company's name was changed to American Seedless Raisin Company in 1917. His father went on to found the California Associated Raisin Growers which eventually became the Sun-Maid Corporation.