1) Ocean Spray has mis-managed the business because management does
not know how to function in a competitive environment. Management came up through the
ranks when building the brand under monopoly control was easier. They did a very good job
in that environment.
2) The SAP implementation was started too late to be successful. The
sad part is that many members of the team are/where valuable OSC employees and could not
make it work despite their best efforts. (I think it is important to remember the people
who continue to do their best for the grower/owners in a very difficult environment.
Management is responsible, don't let your anger discourage all employees.)
3) The Board is too large. Find a way to reduce the Board size to 12
or 15. At that point the only Board decision should be "Keep management, or replace
management".
4) Cranberries have entered a normal, yet severe, (for most other
crops) agricultural cycle. Sadly, some small, less efficient farms will not make it. This
is the nature of agriculture (at least agriculture not subsidized by the Government), and
is a necessary aspect of a free market economy.
5) Management has become too bureaucratic and political over the
past decade. The Senior Managers are intelligent people placed in roles not well-suited
for their skill sets. Interesting how the senior people in Manufacturing, Grower
Relations, Information Services, and Marketing all came from Finance. Cross-training is
great, but pull too many out of their comfort zone and their area of expertise, and
mistakes will be made. These managers are intelligent people, yet I disagree with their
much of their management style. Politics became the rule, hard work and free thinking
became secondary. (Just an opinion)
6) Henderson was ... an interesting idea.
7) Ocean Spray is a marketing company, not a manufacturing company.
Think about how to get back to basics. Some companies are excellent at manufacturing ...
let them do it. Co-pack to cut costs. You have good business people to manage co-packing.
Sell and close more plants. The union shops are not worth the hassle. Let somebody else,
better suited for it, manage the lines.
8) Get through whatever changes the grower/owners feel is right.
Don't delay to a point where you lose all the bright, hard-working employees within your
company. (and for those not familiar with my postings. I am not a current employee of OSC
or a competitor).
