Ocean Spray looks for ample fresh cranberries this fall

Ocean Spray will have ample fresh cranberries this fall, says Jeff LaFleur, vice president of cooperative development and grower relations.

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers in the U.S., Canada and Chile.

“Early indicators suggest a healthy crop this year and at this time we expect to be able to fulfill our customer demands,”  LaFleur said. The current 2022 crop forecast for Ocean Spray is over 7 million barrels, up from 6.6 million barrels of cranberries harvested in 2021. 

North American cranberry harvest is active from mid-September through about mid-November; Ocean Spray also markets cranberries from Chile, which are harvested from March through May.

“We source fresh cranberries from British Columbia, New Brunswick, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Washington, providing a diversity of geographies to meet needs,” LaFleur said. “We are expecting high-quality fruit from all regions."

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.

“Ocean Spray is proud to offer a larger selection of delicious, fresh fruit through Oppy and their network of family farms, who share the same passion for growing irresistibly tasty fresh fruit as our farmer-owner families,” he said, adding that Ocean Spray’s most popular fresh product is Ocean Spray Cranberries.

The availability of fresh cranberries is limited because the harvest season is very short, and LaFleur advises consumers to stock up on fresh cranberries during the fall season and freeze an amount that will last them through the year.

LaFleur said Ocean Spray was brought back into the “cultural zeitgeist” a few years ago in conjunction with the rise of social media such as TikTok. 

“We now see a new younger generation of cranberry lovers across our suite of products,” he said. “ But our mainstay is still the holidays. Americans typically consume about 80 million pounds of cranberries during Thanksgiving week alone. It’s not Thanksgiving without that side of cranberry sauce — no one understands that better than us.”

The cranberry consumer is diverse, he said. 

“Our consumers are across age, demographics and gender — but the common thread is they are bold and appreciate the power of the mighty cranberry,” LaFleur said.  With powerful nutrients and well-documented health benefits, the cranberry can play an important role in a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, he said.

This year, Ocean Spray will promote fresh in-store, centered around the company's new marketing campaign, “Power of the Cranberry."

“The majority of our 12-ounce fresh cranberry bags that ship in November will have a QR code on them calling out a 'Buy, Give, Win' sweepstakes landing page [allthatpowersweeps.com],”  LaFleur said. 

On the sweepstakes landing page, consumers have the opportunity, if they spend $10 or more on Ocean Spray products, to upload their receipt, and Ocean Spray will donate the equivalent of 10 free meals to “No Kid Hungry.” Additionally, the shopper will be entered for a chance to win a free shopping trip of up to $100.

Retailers can effectively promote cranberries as a superfruit, LaFleur said.

“Understanding the benefits of cranberry as a superfruit, retailers can promote and offer Ocean Spray products on shelves across the aisles for consumers to access all year round,” he said, noting that retailers can also promote homemade cranberry sauce recipes found on oceanspray.com/recipes.

Ocean Spray’s fresh cranberries are offered in several package options, LaFleur said, including a 12-ounce polybag, a 2-pound polybag, a 2-pound gusset and an 8-ounce organic polybag.