Ocean Spray European season update 2012
In the last years there have been big investments in new farms, irrigation systems, packing lines and conditioned warehousing. This is all GlobalGAP and SQF1000 code level 3 (Comprehensive Food Safety and Quality Management System).
Ocean Spray is the industry leader and will continue to invest and share the latest technology to meet all the food safety requirements and quality improvements.
The varieties grown are the six most important ones, Ben Lear, Early Black, Stevens, Searles, McFarlins and Howes. For export will start with the Ben Lear variety. From middle October till end November it will be Stevens and the last part of the season Howes. This means that Stevens will be the biggest volume.
Ocean Spray is grower owned and has around 600 cranberry farmers. There are 4 big areas where the farms are located, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, British Columbia and Quebec (Canada).
The original packaging’s are;
- 24 x 12 oz (80 cartons per pallet)
- 12 x 3 lbs (40 cartons per pallet)
- 1 x 20 lbs (80 cartons per pallet)
Ocean Spray guarantees volumes when reserved up front, except when the weather conditions cause different volumes during last part of the growth period.
The first arrivals at Vroegop-Windig, The Netherlands, are expected to start week 39 with airfreight. Soon after airfreight, the sea freight will start to arrive around 11 October and will continue weekly until the end of December.
Finally, any deductions on fruit with less than 10% quality issues will not count toward this coming season. This 10% tolerance is based on USDA standards for exporting cranberries to Europe and is the standard followed by all other Ocean Spray customers in Europe.
For more in formation:
Xander Rodenburg
Vroegop-Windig
Amsterdam
Tel: +31 20 606 1818
Email: [email protected]