Oppy welcomes Ocean Spray cranberry season with spirited holiday perspective

Cranberries are back, and The Oppenheimer Group is looking forward to putting Ocean Spray at the center of holiday tables.

“Last year we wondered if people would still commemorate the holidays with classic dinner favorites,” Brett Libke, Oppy’s senior vice president of sales for North America, said in a news release. 

“Ocean Spray found that they did, just on a smaller serving plate, in their tight-knit bubbles. While we aren’t through this thing yet, we are proud to provide a traditional item like the cranberry that evokes happy family times in so many, in this new era.” 

Eric Sinsigalli, director of sales at Ocean Spray, said in the release that the company’s Togetherness concept of last season has evolved into its 2021 #BetterTogether holiday campaign. 

“We have a new perspective on what matters,” Sinsigalli said in the release. “This holiday season, it’s all about quality — of the food we serve and of the friends and family we choose to share it with.

“Traditions mean even more as we host our first holiday or take on new meaning as we reunite generations in the kitchen. It’s about flavors, both beloved and new, that taste even better when we’re together.” 

The #BetterTogether campaign, according to the release, will include brand collaborations, influencer marketing, events and virtual experiences, digital media, and consumer marketing with sweepstakes and display opportunities. Sinsigalli said in the release that displays improve conversion, increasing dollar velocity by 174% when Ocean Spray cranberries are supported with a display. 

“We know that Ocean Spray cranberries are well-positioned to bring people together,” TJ Wilson, brand and key account manager, said in the release. 

“It’s that familiar, trusted and beloved brand that consumers of all ages seek out for their special cranberry sauce during the holidays.”

Wilson said in the release that Ocean Spray commands nearly 60% of fresh cranberry market share throughout the fall and early winter.

With the cranberry harvest season beginning mid-September, total crop and volumes are on track, similar to last season, Sinsigalli said in the release. Wisconsin is Ocean Spray’s largest growing region, he said. 

Oppy and Ocean Spray became partners in 2003 to market fresh cranberries. Since then, Ocean Spray’s presence in the produce department has expanded significantly to include strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, citrus and grapes through its partnership with Oppy, according to the release.