Viroqua Aronia
We get the scoop on Viroqua's newest juice producer and their fantastic fruit.
Who are the people behind Viroqua Aronia?
Viroqua Aronia is a deeply local, family-led collaboration. The partners in the buisiness are Craig Solverson – multi-generational Viroqua farmer; Viroqua native Dr. Tony Macaset – teaching emergency physician and entrepreneur; Jody Kliscz – co-founder and part of the production and operations team, and Carrie Branovan – brand development, marketing, and creative.
Why did you get into farming and juicing aronia?
Craig planted aronia because he wanted a perennial crop that honored his family’s land and offered real nutritional value. The more he learned, the more he saw its potential – some of the highest antioxidant levels measured in any North American fruit, deep purple anthocyanins, and remarkable resilience.
He doesn’t just “grow berries.” He takes extra steps few farmers attempt, such as foliar feeding with living compost tea— spraying a biologically active microbial solution directly on the leaves to increase vigor, flavor, and nutrient density. It’s a level of care that produces exceptional fruit.
Tell us about the farms that you own or partner with.
We currently cultivate and harvest from Craig’s primary acreage and one partner farm. This ensures quality and consistency while building a strong foundation for future expansion. Craig also has close relationships with aronia growers across the Midwest — especially in Iowa — who are ready to supply berries as our sales continue to grow. Craig’s plantings represent one of the largest aronia acreages in the country, giving us the volume needed for year-round juicing and frozen berry production.
What challenges are involved with farming and producing aronia products?
Aronia is hardy, but it demands precision and deep agricultural understanding. Aronia shrubs are perennial, and have natural rhythms. Some years they produce heavily; other years they rest. Craig’s compost-tea foliar feeding is one example of how we push quality beyond standard practice. These methods improve sweetness, reduce astringency, and increase antioxidant levels. It takes almost two pounds of berries to make one pound of juice, and we refuse to add sweeteners, preservatives, or fillers. Nothing but pure juice, straight from the source. Freezing softens the berry’s natural tannins and enhances flavor — almost unheard of in fruit. Because of this, we hold one of the largest frozen aronia inventories of any company in the world. Aronia is notoriously difficult to propagate from cuttings. Craig has mastered alternative propagation techniques to maintain high-quality plantings without relying on fragile methods.
Why does aronia feel like a “new” fruit?
From a commercial standpoint, it is new, but historically, it’s ancient and deeply North American. Aronia is indigenous. It was used by Native communities, later carried on the Lewis & Clark expedition, and has been prized in Eastern Europe for generations for its health benefits. It feels new now because the world is finally seeking what aronia offers: whole-food antioxidants, minimally processed nutrition, regenerative, perennial, locally grown superfruits, and Viroqua happens to produce some of the best aronia in the nation.
What information do you like to share about aronia that people might not know?
It is one of the highest antioxidant berries in North America. It thrives in Viroqua’s climate and soil, and is perennial, carbon-storing, pollinator-friendly, and regenerative. We are vertically integrated, family-owned, no outside investors. We aim to expand by partnering with other families and farmers. Our long-term vision is a regional network of family farms growing aronia together, anchored by a reliable, values-driven, Viroqua-grown brand. Above all: aronia is good for you, good for Viroqua, and good for the future of farming in our valley.
