Ocean Spray to Consolidate Into $13 Million Facility Underway in Henderson, Nev.
Editor's note: Some readers may have assumed erroneously that Ocean Spray was purchasing this facility. Note the highlighted sentence below.

HENDERSON, Nev.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 12, 1999--A $13million, 301,000-square-foot facility that will become the consolidated Western Distribution Center for the prominent Ocean Spray, is now underway in Henderson, Nev., announced Western Realco of Newport Beach, Calif., developer of the build-to-suit project.

Vance Mape, principal of Western Realco, said the new Ocean Spray distribution center, which consolidates several existing locations in the Henderson area, is being constructed on a 15.5-acre site at 7600 Commercial Way within the Black Mountain Business Center. Ocean Spray entered into a l0-year build-to-suit lease for the facility, Mape said.  CONTINUED | Easy print version

Sunsweet introduces Cranberry Fruitlings
Legal wrangling over name with Ocean Spray resolved

10/13/99  (click photo left to enlarge) Newly named and labeled, Sunsweet sweetened and dried cranberries, manufactured by Decas Cranberries of Wareham, Massachusetts, are now being marketed. Ocean Spray filed a law suit against Sunsweet for trademark infringement alleging that the original name and packaging of the product, then called Cranlings, violated Ocean Spray's ownership of the name "cran" and that the packaging was so similar to Ocean Spray's own product, Craisins, that the consumer would confuse the two. (The two original packages can be viewed HERE, and a copy of the actual filing in U.S. District Court can be read HERE.)

However the matter was resolved, Ocean Spray can claim a victory in asserting their right to "cran", and Sunsweet has a new package that emphasizes the word "cranberry" prominently.

"Cran" is certainly associated with cranberries in the United States, though obviously not in countries where most consumers haven't heard of cranberries. While not a household name like raisins, most consumers in the United States, thanks to a successful marketing campaign,  now are well aware that Craisins are sweetened dried cranberries from Ocean Spray.

Sunsweet is marketing a line of sweetened dried fruits called Fruitlings. In addition to Cranberry Fruitlings, the product line includes a tropical mix, apricots, peaches, apples and nectarines.

Cranberry growers are hoping that sweetened dried cranberries will become popular in countries where consumers already have a taste for dried fruit.

Japan and Germany selected as new international markets for generic cranberry promotion

10/13/99 The Cranberry Marketing Committee and Bryant Christie, Inc., the international affairs management company it retained to help review international opportunities for the generic promotion of cranberries, have selected Japan and Germany as the two countries to begin a major push to introduce cranberries. The 1999/2000 budget allocated for Japan is $172,000, and for Germany, $29,000. This will fund market research and a variety of promotional activities.

Bryant Christie, Inc.  will develop a web site to promote U.S. cranberries worldwide. The Internet domain name www.USCranberries.com has been registered, and already has an attractive logo online. It will be available in English, Japanese and German. More detailed information is available from the Cranberry Marketing Committee which you can now reach from the new web site.

Web site

Forum under spam attack

10/12/99 Two weeks ago a few innocuous "get rich quick" messages appeared of the Stressline Forum. Story here.

Harvest Festival

10/9/99 The first day of the annual Cranberry Harvest Festival sponsored by the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association and Ocean Spray was a huge success once the rains abated by noon and the crowds appeared. PICTURES.

Decas letter to his growers addresses past, present and future of cranberry industry

10/8/99 John Decas expresses his opinions about the cranberry crisis and how it evolved, and shares his outlook for both Decas Cranberries and the entire industry in his letter to his growers. You can read the letter HERE | Easy to print copy here.

Media:

10/13/99 The Cape Cod Journal has three stories about cranberries, and a harvest photo essay:

Cape Cod cranberry industry faces sour season

Bog tenders say cultivation is year round concern

Cranberries top list of fall favorites (includes recipes).

Harvest photo gallery

: French Television 1 films story on cranberry harvest

10/13/99 The French will soon be introduced to cranberries and be able to see what the harvest is like on TF1, the French equivalent of ABC, CBS or NBC. Emily Sperling, Communications Director of the Cape Cod Cranberry Grower's Association, organized a visit from the French Television 1 crew to film at the CCCGA Cranberry Harvest Festival and at Paul and Linda Rinta's cranberry bogs. Story and pictures here

Bogs and processing plants buzzing with activity during 6-week harvest
By TAMARA RACE The Patriot Ledger Read story here

The latest news from Ocean Spray via the press

10/8/99 John Estrella has been tracking Ocean Spray for years, first at the New Bedford Standard Times and now at the Patriot Ledger. His interview with Ocean Spray spokesperson Chris Phillips, published today (read article here) sheds light on the cooperative's plans for the coming year.

Information you may not have known:

• there are currently more than ten candidates for the CEO position,

• Ocean Spray will launch a "category defining" product next year,

• there will be a greater focus on promoting the brand in Boston and New England because of their receptiveness to new products,

• Ocean Spray plans to hold ``media visits and conduct sampling events'' in six markets, including Boston.

• a reason that more emphasis wasn't given to promoting the URI study was that management was concerned about "over-medicating the brand", and finally,

• the article says, without specific attribution, that doing nothing is still an option.

read article here