Cranberry Stressline Archives

3/8 to 3/23/01

Robert Hawthorne calls for Ocean Spray employees to lobby for company marketing order  position *

3/22/01 In the Scoop, an employee newsletter published on the internal Ocean Spray "Intranet" (Mar. 19, 2001), CEO Robert Hawthorne characterizes the 32% volume regulation as a "brave and reasonable compromise" and urges employees to add their voices "in the form of letters and e-mails to the USDA and to your Senators and Congressmen - supporting a 32 percent volume regullation." CONTINUED 

* Ed. note: Stressline received an anonymous fax from a public fax service of a letter entitled  "A Call to Action to Employees," published in the Scoop, which from all appearances is genuine. This article is based on that letter.


3/22/01 This OpEd has
already generated over
25 responses on the Forum

OpEd

Is it time to pull the plug on the forum?

by Wayne Barnes
 Massachusetts grower

3/21/01 Wayne Barnes writes "Is it time to unplug the forum? I am reluctant to recommend such a step, but without some sort of revised guidelines, how can the forum serve a productive and useful function?" Read his OpEd and let us know what you think.


Potato farmers, facing glut and lowest prices ever

3/17/01 Potato farmers are dumping and giving away millions of pounds of potatoes as many face bankruptcy. Read NY Times article.

In the news: "Ocean Spray, which is struggling to cope with a steep drop in cranberry prices, contributed $387,500 to political parties last year." Read Patriot Ledger Article


Mass. coalition adopts mission statement

3/16/01 The newly organized Massachusetts Cranberry Growers' Coalition adopted a mission statement at yesterday's meeting at Zeadey's Restaurant. Statement


Analysis: 

Juice Wars 

A continuing saga

by Hal Brown

3/15/01 -- Much has been made of the value of the Ocean Spray label. Proponents of selling the company to Coke, Pepsi, or another giant corporation, have pointed out that once a highly capitalized company decides to launch their own cranberry line the value of the Ocean Spray label diminishes. Companies like Coke and Pepsi make strategic decisions as to whether to position a new product within an existing brand name, or to create a new one. To demonstrate how easy it is for a corporation to create a brand name, consider the decision announced today by Coke's Minute Maid division to market a new not from concentrate orange juice under a new label, Simply Orange. CONTINUED


FSA News: Cranberry Marketing Loss Program ($5.00/barrels)

3/14/01 -- Paul Russell, County Executive Director, Plymouth County Farm Service Agency, reports that the rules for the cranberry marketing loss program have been published. This means FSA can close the sign up period in 2 weeks and start the process of issuing payments. The payments should start to show in growers accounts around the first week in April.

 


 

News: 3/14/01-Survey shows
 untapped cranberry market

Stressline's Related Links: New 3/23/01 : From China Online ||  Huiyuan Beverage Group | Journal Sentinel article on Bassuener Cranberry in China | Daily Tribune article on Bassuener Cranberries | Clements Citrus OJ in China  |The portal for doing business in China: ChinaSite.com
Press coverage of Ocean Spray announcement: NEW 3/24/01: Wis. Rapids Daily Tribune || Patriot Ledger | Journal Sentinel | Associated Press | Boston Herald

Press Release

Ocean Spray Goes to China

Top U.S., Chinese Juice Companies Finalize Agreement to Market Cranberry, Citrus Beverages to World's Largest Nation

3/22/01 BEIJING - Ocean Spray's line of cranberry and grapefruit beverages will be launched in the People's Republic of China...  (CONTINUED)


Anthocyanin

More on tart cherries

3/20/01 (Related to the two articles below.) It appears that both tart cherries and cranberries may have beneficial effects for those suffering from arthritis. Lansing State Journal

NY Times:

Minute Maid and P&G

3/16/01 -- From today's New York Times: "Beverage scientists seem giddy about the partnership with Coke; the new venture will own much of Procter & Gamble's food and beverage research.....  Now, it has developed new beverage technologies, including an iron, iodine and vitamin A supplement for children in developing countries and a glucosamine, calcium and vitamin C fortification for adults with stiff joints. Dr. Allgood said the partnership with Coke would help that technology reach more consumers." Article


The other red berry

3/16/01 "The cherry is a miracle of nature, suspended delicately from a stern, its glossy skin ranging in hues from ruby, to garnet, to crimson. While these scarlet beauties remain popular for their rich, sweet taste, long ago they were valued as a remedy for aches and pains. Today, cherries are recognized for providing pain relief as well as for other health benefits.

In 1998, scientists at Michigan State University in East. Lansing, Michigan, discovered that cherries were an excellent source of antioxidant and anti- inflammatory properties. Tart cherries contain natural anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins. In laboratory tests, Michigan State University research indicated that such compounds are at least ten times more active against pain than aspirin without displaying any adverse effects such as stomach, kidney and liver problems.

"Cherries contain seventeen different antioxidants which are generally recognized. as useful in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Antioxidants may also slow the aging process and improve mental function.

By Donald Stauffer in an article entitle Simply Red in a Stop-and-Shop magazine.

 


International:


( Global ) Juice Market Squeezes Fizz Out of Carbonates  JustDrinks article


100% Cape Cod Cranberries, from Decas' Paradise Meadows, in Hungary - Ruby Red CranBERRY site

Op-Eds

3/13/01
NEW: Why did the independents propose a 4.0 MB marketable quantity? by Russ Lawton

3/11/01
Response to John Decas' Op-Ed letter of  3/9/01 by Gary Jensen

3/11/01
 A respread is a respread,
 
by Kelly Rudd

3/11/01
The rules of the game can change, by Doanne Andresen

3/10/01
 
John Swendrowski addresses Decas' issues

3/9/01
Letter from John Decas

 

Which CEO said this? 
"2000 was a repositioning year. New management established a turn-around plan focused on bringing costs in line with sales volumes and dramatically increasing consumer awareness of our innovative product. The company was restructured to operate as a single company, leveraging the strengths of its three established sales channels..., and to capture the efficiencies and leverage of an integrated marketing effort. Aggressive cost reduction measures were taken across the company as non-core initiatives were terminated and other operations were rightsized. Marketing efforts in the second half of 2000 focused on repositioning the company's product, brand and marketing message..." The ANSWER might surprise you

Editorial

Was it a clarification or a new vote?

3/8/01 A quick read about the Monday "clarification" might suggest that it wasn't much different from Sunday's vote. But there may be more here than meets the eye.  CONTINUED


Op-Ed:

Letter from John Decas

3/9/01 -- In this environment of economic crisis, the anxiety of cranberry growers has resulted in a severe loss of confidence in the future of our industry and a harsh analysis of who is to blame and how we need to fix the problem. CONTINUED


Cranberry panel calls for 32% production cut

by Karen Dusek, Special Writer, Middleboro Gazette

3/8/01  Read article

News: 3/11/01 Makepeace development Plans in the Boston Globe

CMC changes web site, responds to grower questions and concerns

3/10/01 The Cranberry Marketing Committee has changed the format of its web site. Currently grower concerns about whether meetings are open, and about the proposed amendments are addressed. . ARTICLE


In the news:

3/10/01 Cape Cod Times article quotes area growers.


First USDA cranberry purchases announced: 

3/8/01 Northland, Pappas, Veryfine, Krier and Honee Bear win contracts. read PDF file here.


Previous week:

Growers and media react to Cranberry Marketing Committee vote.