Ocean Spray is entering its key period of the year for fresh cranberry sales, both domestically and for export markets, and Jim Lesser, group marketing manager for OS Cranberries, expects the season to run smoothly despite a reduction in volumes across the main producing states.
The three major growing regions are Massachussets, Wisconsin and the north west and, as reported in the Journal two weeks ago, weather has caused a few problems in the former, Wisconsin will have a good production year and the latter is set for an average performance. So, while volumes will be lower overall, the three regions will by and large balance each other out. Slightly smaller sizes, combined with higher than average yields add to that equation.
Lesser said: "For the UK, 95 per cent of our fresh cranberries are out of Halifax in Nova Scotia, although we will send some through Newark. The north west crop has coloured up a little earlier than normal and we have airfreighted a couple of containers into Europe ahead of our normal schedule, but there is no reason to expect anything other than a similar season to most years. We will hit our usual peak in November and December and get straight out of the business after Christmas.
The exporter has an agent in the UK, Horst Class, who co-ordinates its business on this side of the pond. Fresh cranberries represent just one per cent of the OS business, with the runaway success of its juice operation. But, said Lesser, it remains an extremely important sector and one which the company intends to nurture.
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