OCEAN SPRAY BEHIND THE SCENES: NEW CAMPAIGN CELEBRATES THE GROWER-OWNERS WHO MAKE UP THE OCEAN SPRAY COOPERATIVE
The Heritage Campaign Will Incorporate Stories of Ocean Spray Grower-Owners, Highlighting their Histories, Traditions and Stewardship of the Land
LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, MASS., (October 5, 2009) – This Spring, Ocean Spray is launching the Heritage campaign, designed to educate consumers about the cranberry and grapefruit growers who make up the Ocean Spray cooperative. As part of this initiative, the growers’ personal stories and photos will be featured on cranberry and grapefruit product labels and online (www.oceanspray.com).
Consumers will meet the May family of British Columbia, who have been harvesting cranberries for three generations, since Duncan May started harvesting in the 1960s. His five sons continue the business, and all live within one mile of each other; with their children actively participating, 50 family members now tend to the bogs.
“My family has been farming cranberries for three generations, and we take a tremendous amount of pride in continuing the work my grandfather started in the 1960s,” said grower-owner Todd May. “We will keep this farm in our family for generations to come because we see ourselves as stewards of the land – it’s our job to not only produce the best fruit today, but to ensure our farm continues yielding quality crops for tomorrow.”
The Detlefsens will be another family featured in the campaign – now on their fifth generation of farming, these grower-owners own one of the oldest farms in Wisconsin, and can lay claim to 138 years of harvesting.
“The Ocean Spray cooperative was formed 80 years ago by three cranberry growers who shared a common passion for cranberries and cranberry farming,” noted Larry Martin, vice president of marketing at Ocean Spray. “The Heritage initiative, which is an extension of our successful ‘Straight from the Bog’ advertising campaign, is about making the connection between our consumers and the families who produce the fruit they’ve enjoyed in Ocean Spray products for all of these years.”
Growers’ personal stories will be featured on select Ocean Spray Juices and Juice Drinks beginning in January. Profiles and photos can be currently seen online at www.oceanspray.com/heritage.
Bogs Across America
Consumers will be able to meet Ocean Spray grower-owners, including the May family, at Ocean Spray’s Bogs Across America event Oct. 6 at Rockefeller Center®. Ocean Spray has created a 1,500 square foot free-standing cranberry bog containing more than 2,000 pounds of cranberries right in the heart of New York City, and grower-owners will be on hand to educate consumers about the little red wonder berry and the harvest season. Exhibit hours are 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., October 6, 7 and 8.
About Ocean Spray
Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 600 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as more than 50 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed over 80 years ago by three cranberry growers from Massachusetts and New Jersey. Florida grapefruit growers joined the Cooperative in 1976. Ocean Spray is North America’s leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, and has been the best-selling brand name in the canned and bottled juice category since 1981. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2008 sales of $1.9 billion. |
