In the mid-1980s much of America was captivated by a bunch of cool raisins with an irresistible beat – the California Raisins had arrived. Created in clay by Will Vinton for the California Raisin Advisory Board (CALRAB) and animated for musical television commercials by the Claymation process, these diminutive sports were anything but dry.

The commercials began in 1986, featuring the raisins’ signature song I Heard It Through The Grapevine. The song was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. Gladys Knight and the Pips originally recorded the song and Marvin Gaye had his first number one hit with it in 1968. Small vinyl figures of the raisins were widely promoted as premiums or giveaways by CALRAB.

The group consists of Ben Indasun, Tiny Goodbite, Justin X. Grape, Sugar E. Treat, Rye Stack and Delicious. Ray Charles and Michael Jackson starred as clay figures in a few commercials.