Vastly improved fresh cranberry supply expected for Naturipe

With expectations of a bigger crop than a year ago, Naturipe Farms is bringing fresh cranberries to the market again this year, says Brian Vertrees, director of business development for Naturipe. 

“Cranberries are part of our total berry program and have been for many years now,” said Vertrees. “It is a fantastic program and is a quintessential berry for Thanksgiving demand.”

Vertrees said Naturipe’s program is focused specifically on the fresh market. Supply is expected to be “vastly improved” compared with the last two seasons, he said. 

“We want consumers to experience the highest-quality cranberries on their tables during the fall months, and that all starts with growing practices focused on going to retail,” he said. 

This season’s fruit set is very strong and much bigger than the last several years, Vertrees said.

“Weather has started to cool off at nights, which is perfect timing, as well, so, at the moment, all signs point to great quality and increased volumes available,” he said in mid-September.

Bob Wilson, managing member at the Wisconsin-based Cranberry Network LLC, which packs for Naturipe, said packing will continue through mid-December.

Vertrees said organic harvest will start around Oct. 6 and also go through mid-December.
“Organic cranberries are another core piece of our cranberry program,” Vertrees said.

“Generally speaking, organic cranberries are under indexed as they relate to total organic sales, but consumers are still discovering that organic cranberries are available, so there is a lot of room for growth. We have promotable volumes available for retailers to offer their organic customer base this season.”

For maximum sales, retailers should start carrying cranberries as soon as they are available to raise awareness that cranberry season has started.

“You want to be the retailer who has them available,” Vertrees said. “Similar to seeing all of the holiday decorations out for sale several months in advance, produce departments should do the same with cranberries.”

The three weeks leading up to Thanksgiving are the biggest cranberry selling weeks by far, he said, with nearly 70% of all cranberries are sold during this timeframe. 

“Once retailers have laid the foundation by carrying them from the outset, they should build prominent displays and go big the three weeks prior to the holiday,” he said. “This is also the key time to upsize into a 2-pound bag for conventional and 12-ounce bag for organic cranberries. 

Another trend Naturipe is seeing, he said, is consumers buying cranberries for use as a fresh decoration. 

“Beyond cooking them down into the traditional cranberry sauce, they are being used in centerpieces on the table to provide a festive holiday atmosphere,” Vertrees said.

In terms of conventional cranberry packs, Vertrees said a carton with 24 count 12-ounce bags is the primary pack of choice for retail. However, Naturipe is seeing a shift to cartons with 12 2-pound bags for the peak selling season, or the three weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. 

For organic cranberries, a similar trend is occurring, with cartons of 18 8-ounce packs accounting for most sales. Retailers and consumers also are requesting cartons with 24 count 12-ounce bags for the peak selling season, he said.