Be-a-Star Recipe #Cranwars Are On: crantastic entries making their way in.

You don’t have to be able to read French to understand that this is a heartbreaking story. Our heart goes out to Martin and Simon and all the folks at Fruit D’Or.

http://www.lanouvelle.net/Faits-divers/2015-03-21/article-4085612/Long-travail-dextinction-a-lentreprise-Fruit-dor/1

i love to see good news about NEW products that contain real cranberries. The products mentioned in this article and the associated health benefits seem really good to me.  Keep up the good work everyone and let’s put cranberries in our cranberry products. 

http://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/150305/cranberry

I’ve heard about this product and looked for it at my local Pic and Save but have yet to try it. Here is an interesting take…

http://m.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/295035871.html

We are significantly over supplied, but the committee fails to act. Not surprised.

Shakespeare was right when he said in some play…first let’s kill all the lawyers. Right now we are being lawyered to death with attorneys at the CMC. How does all this get growers to profitability? Yesterday I was in favor of continuing the order…today…not so sure.

It is that time of year…growers and handlers headed to Washington for the winter CMC meeting. While it is usually an exercise in frustration, I am looking for to seeing folks and find out what is going on in the industry.

My first review of the numbers suggest that sales are UP! But the stockpiles of concentrate are still too high.

Don’t expect any earth shattering news, but if there is…I will post it here.

Safe travels

We usually see juice in a 64 oz bottle. Spray is transitioning to a 60 oz bottle. That’s a price increase assuming they don’t lower the price.

Do smaller bottles also sell less cranberry juice? Yikes!

the Plaintiffs have filed for summary judgement…meaning that they are presenting their view of the facts in the counts still open in the case. Remember, the judge threw out many of the counts. you can read the filing here…

Ocean Spray Motion for SJ Jan 6

they’ve asked for a quick answer, but my bet is that it will take the judge a while. OSpray will certainly answer back…

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, followed closely by the 4th of July. Why? Beause it is all about food and family:)

I’m thankful for everyone in our crazy industry:
the farmers that grow a healthy, beautiful berry
the processors that haul, clean and freeze our crop
and the
handlers that make our crop into sauce, juice, dried cranberries and keep trying to invent new uses.

Enjoy our day!

No, it isn’t from tax revenues…read on…

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/fdd-history-and-background

Section 32!!

The purchase of cranberry products by the USDA is good news for our industry.

http://wisconsinwatch.org/2014/11/a-happy-thanksgiving-for-cranberry-caucus-as-usda-makes-big-berry-buy/

If you haven’t tasted these..track some down and give them a try. Absolutely wonderful.

http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/cranberries-get-new-lower-calorie-treatment-thanks-to-uw-graduate-b99393001z1-283865481.html?ipad=y

That the Decas payment structure has a few incentives added in, so their low base is misleading. It is hard to compare cranberries to cranberries sometimes…

I was slightly optimistic last week, when Mariani announced their base price of $16. Today Decas growers received a letter indicating what seems to be a $7 base. What a difference, yet they are in the same business mostly…dried cranberries and concentrate. Both have their own brand, both sell domestically and internationally. I suppose their mix of products may make a difference in their returns, but growers can’t make it on $7 that is for sure. This is starting to become a trend for Decas.

In a letter to it’s growers Mariani announced a base price of $16…up from a base price of $12.50 for the 2013 crop. the letter also states that the concentrate bonus is expected to be and additional $2-3 dollars.

Congrats to Mariani!  Their business must be doing well and their growers will see the benefits of a rising market. $19/barrel is a step in the right direction,

Apparently we don’t. Personally. I was just cleaning out my desk and found our Estimated Allotment Certificate for our own personal crop for 2014. Our allotment was virtually the same as the crop we delivered! I’m assuming a lot of Wisconsin growers are in the same boat.  Mother Nature delivered where the USDA Secretary would not.  Of course I hate it for WI, but everyone will benefit from this smaller crop.   As the final berries get counted, we are all waiting and wondering just where the crop will end up (or down..)   Congrats to those growers who had a great crop.

Whatever the result, we will have less concentrate and less dried cranberries in the marketplace.

From Food Network magazine!
We will still produce a lot…but maybe not 60% !

http://pact.oceanspray.com

Interesting.

http://www.bevnet.com/news/2014/ocean-spray-freshbev-collaborate-on-new-cold-pressed-juices

Interesting bottle and name…can’t wait to see the ingredient/nutrition panel. Will they actually put cranberry in the bottle or something else? Calories? added sugar? So many options, such a tart berry we grow. Interesting that Spray is partnering rat