1849

In Concord, Mass., Ephraim Wales Bull develops the perfectly sweet and palatable grape, the Concord. His work with seeds and seedlings spanned more than 10 years and was the result of 22,000 crossbreeding experiments on 125 vines.
1869

Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch, a physician and dentist by profession, successfully pasteurises Concord grape juice to produce an unfermented sacramental wine for fellow parishioners at his church in Vineland, N.J. His achievement marks the beginning of the processed fruit juice industry.
1893

Grape juice becomes a national favourite as thousands sample it at the Chicago World's Fair. Dr. Charles E. Welch, son of Welch's founder, discontinues his practice of dentistry to give full attention to the marketing of grape juice. A new label is adopted, omitting the "Dr." before the name Welch's.
1913

Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan startles the world by serving Welch's Grape Juice instead of wine at a full-dress diplomatic function. Newspaper columnists, cartoonists and editors make much of it for months.
1914

Welch's has another publicity windfall when Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy, forbids the use of alcoholic beverages aboard Navy ships and substitutes instead Welch's Grape Juice, giving rise to the term, "Daniels' Grape Juice Navy."
1918

Welch's develops its first jam product, Grapelade. The initial quantity is purchased in its entirety by the U.S. Army, becoming a product demanded by the doughboys when they return to civilian life.
1927

The Company's first non-grape product is introduced: Welch's Homogenized Tomato Juice.
1952

The National Grape Cooperative Association, Inc. acquires Welch's.
1955

Welch's begins sponsorship of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Club and establishes a grape juice concession stand at Disneyland.
1962

Welch's begins sponsoring The Flintstones on TV.
1972

Welch's introduces two new grape juice products, Red Grape Juice and White Grape Juice.
1981

Sparkling Grape Juice is added to Welch's national line of products.
1996

Welch's JuiceMakers, a juice concentrate that requires no freezing, becomes the company's most successful new product launch.
1998

Welch's introduces the new plastic can for its line of frozen concentrates. This new package is the first innovation to hit the freezer case since the peel strip in 1979. Welch's also introduces its most successful jelly glass venture ever, Winnie the Pooh.
1999

More preliminary studies highlight the potential health benefits of purple grape juice.

A licensing arrangement with C.H. Robinson puts the Welch's name into the fresh produce aisle for the first time.
2002

Welch’s International business achieves a solid foothold in the United Kingdom and we sign an agreement with Nong Shim, a leading consumer products company in South Korea.
2003

This year marks the 150th birthday of the Concord Grape.
2005

Welch's products are now sold in more than 50 countries and territories worldwide.

Organic Grape Juice is introduced.
2007

Introduction of 100% Grape Juice with fibre and 100% Grape Juice with calcium.

Dr. Welch

How it began

Welch's began life in 1869 in the small New Jersey kitchen of British dentist and physician, Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch. Looking to create a non-alcoholic alter wine for his fellow church parishioners, Dr Welch successfully utilised Louis Pasteur's famous theory to pasteurise Concord grape juice and in the process, unknowingly opened the gateway for all fruit juice processing. Even today, fruit juice processors around the world continue to use the same principles that Dr. Welch applied over 140 years ago.

As grape juice grew in popularity, so did the demand for Welch's products. In a landmark moment in 1893, grape juice was sampled at the Chicago World Fair and became a national favourite. Following this, Dr. Charles E. Welch, son of Welch's founder, discontinued his dentistry practice to give full attention to the marketing of grape juice. The company went from strength-to-strength and in 1952 was sold to The National Grape Co-operative Association.

Today Welch's is the world's leading producer of Concord and Niagara-based grape products. We have over 400 items ranging from refrigerated juices and sparkling juice cocktails to jams, jellies and a variety of single-serve products in all shapes and sizes, available in more than 50 countries world-wide.

Welch's Purple Grape Juice gains seal of approval from HEART UK

H•E•A•R•T UK, a leading cholesterol charity, has officially recognised Welch's Purple Grape Juice for its abundant antioxidant properties and role in promoting heart health. It is the first time a 100% pure and unsweetened juice has received the coveted H•E•A•R•T UK approval.

The recognition by H•E•A•R•T UK follows review of the growing body of data on Welch's Purple Grape Juice which shows many potential health benefits. Research supports drinking American Concord Purple Grape Juice to help promote a healthy heart and healthy arteries. Preliminary research suggests it promotes heart and arterial health in part by protecting LDL, or ‘bad', cholesterol from harmful interaction with free radicals to slow oxidation . Many researchers believe this oxidation of LDL cholesterol contributes to the build-up of plaque in the arteries. Research supports the fact that Welch's Purple Grape Juice not only has potent antioxidant capacity in vivo but in the body as well.

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