Tag Archives: Ocean Spray

From Bog to Bottle 2016

Posted on by

Harvest time means it’s time for our yearly visit from George Giorno of Ocean Spray! George comes to see us every year, along with various account executives from some of Ocean Spray’s wholesale customers. This year, we were happy to visit again with Greg McCann and Jim Falese of Advantage Solutions, as well as Chris Przewoznik and Ed Peslak of General Trading Wholesale, Lauren Schmidt, Jeff Bowen, and John Scarangello with Ocean Spray’s retail operations, and last but not least, George’s daughter Marissa, a sales analyst with Kellogg’s!

harvest-2016-004

harvest-2016-307

The morning began in our main office, with CEO Bill Haines giving the group an introduction to our operation and a brief family history. Then, it was off in the van to see the harvest in action! We were unfortunately not able to see the harrow at work, but the group was able to see our new bog side cleaner running out at Sim Place, and even got the chance to go up and see the view from the top!

harvest-2016-082

harvest-2016-287

Greg McCann was happy to see our new equipment, as well as the results. “I really enjoyed this visit, as I saw a new process that you weren’t really using last year! It’s great to see how you now save steps in the process and free up some of your people to do other things,” he says. And he was impressed by our team’s driving skills, as well: “It was interesting to watch the tractor trailers navigate around the narrow roads throughout the bog.” He’s looking forward to coming back again next year, with different customers, and the feeling is mutual!

harvest-2016-135

Lauren Schmidt, Ocean Spray’s newest Retail Operations Manager, expressed similar enthusiasm: “I loved the tour of the farm and bogs. Our team got the full experience, from tasting fresh cranberries off the vine, to watching each step in the impressive process of harvest. We lucked out with a beautiful fall day and the colors of the harvest were gorgeous! The Haines family took time out of their busy schedules to show us around for several hours and I know everyone felt the pride they have in the business throughout our time together.”

harvest-2016-187

We say this every year after George and his group come to see us: it’s always a pleasure to speak with people who are genuinely enthusiastic about what they do and are so willing to completely immerse themselves in a new experience. “It‘s always fun to have George and his team here and show our customers how we really do it. I think it’s good for all of us,” Bill says.

Ocean Spray AGM

Posted on by

Ocean Spray held their Annual Growers Meeting last week, and Pine Island Cranberry was well represented! Several members of the Haines family spent a week in Florida, learning more about the coop’s plans for the future and enjoying the Florida sunshine!

Family members in attendance were all pleased with the highly engaging presentations. “It was really cool to hear more about the marketing side. Up here, we’re entirely focused on production and don’t really worry about the marketing and selling,” says fifth-generation grower Mike Haines. “But it’s obviously just as important to the business as the actual fruit production. I really learned quite a bit from talking to some of the marketing people; Jeremy [Fenstermaker] and I had a great talk with Peter Wyman [Senior VP of Global Business Development], asking him how they get people unfamiliar with cranberries to try our products. It was fascinating!”

Mike and Jeremy were also really impressed with Aravind Cherukuri [Managing Director, Global Business Development]. “People were genuinely pumped up when he made his presentation,” Mike says. “He brought a lot of energy to the room, and I learned a lot about how Ocean Spray approaches different markets and what kind of steps we need to take.” Jeremy’s thoughts were similar: “Aravind’s enthusiasm was contagious,” he says. “It was really cool to see the expansion, and how things have changed as we move into a global market.”

Another huge hit: the opportunity to try new products being released in the next few months! We were very excited to get a close-up look for you guys. NOW: an exclusive look at what you can expect to see from Ocean Spray!

…Oh. Sorry, folks. Maybe next time!

It would be remiss of us not to thank the entire Grower Relations team for doing such a spectacular job. Cranberry growers work hard and play hard, and everyone at HQ put together some amazing events and activities to ensure we’d all have fun doing both! From charismatic speakers to touring grapefruit operations to spring baseball to unforgettable evenings in the theme parks…Ocean Spray made sure that we had an unforgettable week, and every single member of the Haines family is grateful for the opportunity!

And as always, we’ll let CEO Bill Haines get in the last word: “It was a great event, and great to meet with so many growers from all over the world. I’m excited to see the energy and the new ideas that were presented at the general sessions.”

Thanks, Ocean Spray!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on by

This entry was originally posted on November 27, 2013.

It’s almost inevitable that a cranberry blog would do an entry about Thanksgiving! It’s a holiday which really is a chance for us here at Pine Island to relax and enjoy the fruits of our labor. (Sorry.) Many traditions in the Haines family come from cranberries, both our own and through the Ocean Spray cooperative. And best of all, they’re usually locally sauced! (Really sorry. We’ll stop now.) CEO Bill Haines goes out every year toward the end of harvest and hand scoops several pounds of berries for family use, using a wooden scoop that’s been in the family for generations.

Huge thanks to our friends at Ocean Spray for allowing us to use the following recipes and photographs, as well as posting the information showing us how these recipes are berry good for both you as well as the environment! (We said we were done. We lied. After all, cranberry farming can be a barrel of laughs.)

To start off, of course, you’ll want a cocktail. Vodka and cranberry is a popular combination, but did you know it actually has a name? To make a Cape Codder, you’ll just need the following:

Ingredients:

6 ounces Ocean Spray® Cranberry Juice Cocktail, chilled
1 1/2 ounces vodka
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

Pour into a tall glass filled with ice. Makes 1 serving.

Of course, you can’t have a turkey without stuffing. Cape Cod Cornbread Stuffing just fits the bill:

Ingredients:

2 cups cornbread stuffing cubes
1/2 pound sausage meat, cooked, drained and crumbled
1 cup Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1/2 cup diced onion
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Combine all ingredients, except chicken broth, in a medium casserole dish. Add chicken broth; mix well. Add more chicken broth for a moister stuffing. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through. Makes 3 cups.

The following is a classic for a reason; it pairs perfectly with a leftover turkey sandwich! (Or, as some first graders we know have done…mix it with mayo and put it on a hamburger. To each her own.)

Homemade Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 12-ounce package Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.

Makes 2 1/4 cups.

This side dish doesn’t contain any cranberries, but who’s to say you couldn’t add some Craisins?

Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Pecans

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds fresh brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Trim stems of brussels sprouts; remove any damaged leaves.

Place brussels sprouts in 3-quart saucepan; add water to just cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat; simmer until brussels sprouts are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain; keep warm.

In the meantime, toast pecans. Place nuts in single layer on baking sheet. Bake in 350° oven 3 to 5 minutes or until light golden brown, watching carefully.

Melt butter in same saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in brussels sprouts and pecans; toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

Last but not least, we have dessert: a longtime family favorite is a cranberry nut pie that Bill’s mother used to make.

SARA’S CRANBERRY NUT PIE

Ingredients:

Filling:
2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup sugar

Topping:
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted margarine
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions:

Mix the first three ingredients together and spread in the bottom of a greased 10 in pie plate. Mix together the last five ingredients and pour over cranberry mixture. Bake 55-60 minutes in a preheated 325 degree oven. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

No photos of that last one…it usually gets eaten too quickly. Happy Thanksgiving, from all of us to all of you!

Ocean Spray: From Bog to Bottle 2015

Posted on by

Pine Island Cranberry was pleased to host a visit yesterday from George Giorno at Ocean Spray, who brought along his associates Greg McCann, Vinny Bergamini, and Jim Falese (from Advantage Sales and Marketing) and Alexandra Von Nessen and Steve Salerno (from Wakefern Corporation). They work closely with George and Ocean Spray on marketing and distribution, and were happy to have the opportunity to see a cranberry harvest in action!

The morning started at our main office with a brief introduction to the business from CEO Bill Haines, who then led the group out to see our hard-working crews getting the harvest in! At our first stop, Bill was able to give them a closer view of the inside of a cranberry as well as the bud set on the vines for next year’s crop.

Subsequent stops included a chance to see our Gates Harrow harvester in action, as well as our traditional gathering crew and a stop at the packing house platform.

Everyone asked some really fantastic questions and also had a wonderful time, according to Greg McCann: “The tour was very enlightening! I have been to numerous plant tours over the course of my career, but never to the origin, where the process begins. To be able to see the cranberries harvested, and even pick one off the bush, was an amazing experience! I would recommend it to any customer who is on the Juice or Fruit Buying Desk!” For our part, we truly enjoy visiting with folks who show such enthusiasm and willingness to learn! As George himself said, “…we enjoyed sharing our passion about this wonderful little berry that’s afforded us a great brand of products to share and enjoy with the entire world!”

Thanks, George…and thank you, Greg, Vinny, Jim, Alex, and Steve, for taking the time out of your day to visit!

Wisconsin visit

Posted on by

Last week, Pine Island’s CEO Bill Haines and COO Bryan vonHahmann, along with Cranberry Austral Chile GM Francisco Prado, flew out to Wisconsin to visit various members of the cranberry community in order to learn more about how the industry works in other regions and bring back their experiences to apply to our own operation in both New Jersey and Chile.

They spent two days with Leroy Kummer, a Sr. Agricultural Scientist with Ocean Spray and the Tomah Receiving Station Manager. “Leroy was with us for two days,” Bill says. “He put in a lot of time and effort to accommodate us, and knows the industry inside and out. He’s a valuable asset to both OS and the growers, and we were glad he was able to take us around.”

The group also visited six different operations, all of them “very impressive”, Bill says. Ed Grygleski of Valley Corp, Steve Gephardt of Beltz Cranberry, Bill Hatch and Nicole Hansen at Cranberry Creek, Chris Weidman of City Point Cranberries, Martin Potter at Cutler Cranberry, and Craige I. Scott and Craige P. Scott of Scott Cranberry Marsh were very generous with their time and knowledge, and all run an excellent operation. Francisco was particularly interested in this part of the tour: “We are in the middle of updating our equipment program [at CAC], so it was good to see what they are doing with things like fertilizer sprayers; our farm is growing, so we need to go faster!” It was very helpful to see farms at different sizes, as well, as it gives him a basis for comparison. “It’s a great opportunity,” he says. “There is always room to improve; there is always something to learn from other growers.” Bryan agrees: “Sharing ideas and practices can help us all improve, and it’s given us more energy and renewed focus on our mission.”

Our management team also spent some time at the Tomah plant, touring the Craisin line, and were impressed with the team there as well. “Andrea Gavette [Plant Manager at Tomah] gave us a really in-depth tour; Tomah is a well-run facility, and it was great to see her team so enthusiastic about what they do,” says Bill.

And, of course, Bill, Bryan, and Francisco always have an eye out for our own continuous improvement. As Bill says: “These growers are clearly the gold standard for the cranberry industry, and now we see what we have to do to be one of the best.”

*photos courtesy of Francisco Prado

Ribbon cutting – Ocean Spray Lehigh Valley Facility

Posted on by

This week, CEO Bill Haines and COO Bryan vonHahmann drove to the dedication of Ocean Spray’s new Lehigh Valley bottling plant. Under construction for two years, the new facility, which will replace the one in Bordentown, will employ about 180 people and handle about 40% of their North American juice production.

Ocean Spray also throws a heck of a party. Not only did they give everyone a fabulous breakfast, but Justin and Henry were there to say hello!

Before the ribbon-cutting, CEO Randy Papadellis explained: “Ocean Spray is essentially run as a family business, committed to bringing a neighborly culture to every community that we enter. We manage our business in a way that respects our communities, our employees, and the environment.” Engineer Erich Fritz, who oversaw the design and construction, and Tim Haggerty, plant director, went on to explain some of the ways Ocean Spray is committed to making that happen, including a “no landfill” policy, recycling all waste, and relying on hot water rather than steam for energy.

The highlight, of course, was a tour of the new plant. The growers in attendance were able to see almost every feature of production, and there is nothing about the place that is unimpressive, from the impeccable organization to the innovation to the employees who make it all happen. Pine Island COO Bryan vonHahmann was very taken with the place. “As a cooperative member, it is great to see first hand, the end product of a significant investment in our future. The facility, equipment, technology, and people are all first class,” he says.

CEO Bill Haines agrees: “The new plant is very impressive, and it’s great for all Ocean Spray growers. It’s going to make them more efficient, and better efficiency means better returns for growers. Getting a tour of the new facility, seeing that it is state of the art and totally organized, and meeting the people who built it and actually make it work made me very proud to be an Ocean Spray grower.”

Ocean Spray Next Wave 2014

Posted on by

This week at the company headquarters in Massachusetts, the Ocean Spray Cooperative hosted their annual Next Wave class. The Next Wave class is designed for “new growers who have joined the family farm or growers who are taking over their family farm”, and its goal is to help the new growers understand how the business is run on the cooperative end just as they are learning how the business is run on the growing end. This year, Pine Island Cranberry sent assistant manager Michael Haines and webmaster Stefanie Haines (that’s me! Hello!) to learn more about the co-op side of the business.

The winter weather made travel a bit complicated, but even with missing the first morning session, we obtained a great deal of useful information. The good folks at Ocean Spray led us through a history of the co-op, how the cooperative model functions, and how that is integrated with many of the departments within the co-op. The mock Jeopardy game led by the legal department was a highlight, giving us a chance to catch up on what we’d missed and giving everyone else a chance to review earlier sessions.

Most importantly, though, it gave Michael and I a chance to put some faces to names, both for other growers and for the staff at Ocean Spray. “I was familiar with some people just from tagging along with either Dad or Abbott [Lee, of Integrity Propagation],” Michael says, “but this was great because it’s smaller than the Annual Growers Meeting and we’re all mostly starting from the same place.” He also really liked hearing from growers in different regions. “It’s a great chance to widen your horizons. You can get together and talk with people who are trying new or different methods and bring it home to try for yourself.” Some aren’t practical for us, he said, but were just cool to hear about: “Some of the Wisconsin growers were saying the ice is so thick they can just drive trucks onto the bog and sand them that way!”

It was also a fantastic opportunity to see what happens once the fruit leaves the farm and how much has to be done to get the product to the market. Ocean Spray’s very thorough program also showed us a lot about the supply chain, innovation, and marketing, which were all very interesting! “It’s amazing how much more stuff happens,” Mike says. “The first step is leaving the farm, but then they still have to come up with products and how to move fruit.” The real high point for Michael and I, though, was the chance to tour the Middleboro processing facility. Our group was led by plant director Earl Larson, who took us all the way through the process and made it both enjoyable and educational.

In fact, everyone at Ocean Spray was great. Judy Joy and Jeni Francoeur ran an excellent program, as they always do. Everyone was extremely welcoming, and it was well-run from start to finish! We couldn’t have asked for anything better…except for maybe a little less snow.

Ocean Spray: “From Bog to Bottle”

Posted on by

Pine Island Cranberry was very pleased last week to host a visit from George Giorno of Ocean Spray, who brought along business partners Rich Rosen and Ed Machala of White Rose Wholesale Distributors and Terry Brown, Ron Camporeale, and Bill Gibbons of Acosta Sales Agency. While George’s guests work closely with Ocean Spray on marketing and distribution, they had never actually seen a cranberry harvest before and were, to a man, thrilled to be here. It’s always a pleasure to speak with people who are genuinely enthusiastic about what they do and are so willing to completely immerse themselves in a new experience.

Their day started with a chat from Bill, who gave them a brief history of Pine Island and a bit of background on what they were all about to see.

Then it was off for a whirlwind tour of our harvest! Bill and Cristina took them everywhere: our guests saw how we manage our water, how our knocking crews get the berries off the vines, how our gathering crews collect the crop, and how the packing house gets them ready for the next stop on their tour: the Ocean Spray receiving station. Dan Schiffhauer walked them through the process there, and they finished up with a tour in Bordentown, that essentially, as George says, “filled the bottle. The day was a great education for us all.”

George continued: “For me personally, this was one of those days as an Ocean Spray employee where I drove home a little taller in my seat knowing that behind every bottle of Ocean Spray juice there lies an army of great people creating the best Cranberry products in the world – and what a blessing and honor it is for me to be a part of this fantastic cooperative lineage.”

*photos courtesy Terry Brown