29 September 2008 - Ocean Spray, which provides 70% of the world's cranberries, has opened what the company describes as the “largest cranberry processing plant in the world” in Wisconsin Rapids.
The juice drink producer, which has seen global demand for its products double over the last three years, has invested a total USD 75 million in the plant to add 2 sweetened dried cranberry production lines. The expansion has doubled the plant’s size to 440,000 square feet.
Ocean Spray has invested over USD 90 million in the facility during the last 3 years to install a wastewater treatment facility, energy-efficient lighting, and an expansion of the system that converts methane from the Veolia Cranberry Creek Landfill into clean energy to power the plant. The site also includes a warehouse for ingredients and finished goods.
The expansion also houses patented state-of-the-art technology to manufacture sweetened dried cranberries for ingredient customers and for consumers under the CRAISINS® brand.
“One line is up and running. When both production lines are operational by March, 2009, the plant will have the capacity to produce more than 30 million pounds of sweetened dried cranberries per year for Ocean Spray”, the company said in a statement.
The extra capacity is expected to cater for the global ongoing demand for cranberry products. Ocean Spray, which expects to see demand to double again over the next 3 years, will create an extra 100 jobs at the plant.
Randy Papadellis, President and CEO of Ocean Spray, commented: “The Ocean Spray brand is stronger than ever … As we commemorate the expansion of the Wisconsin Rapids sweetened dried cranberry production plant, we reinforce Ocean Spray’s partnership with the state of Wisconsin and our dedication to growing more cranberries and creating additional jobs in the Badger State. If we can build on this partnership and add more cranberries, there could be even more added expansion and jobs to this facility in the future…but we need the fruit.”
Established more than 75 years ago, 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. The firm has become 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 2007 revenues of roughly USD 1.7 billion.