Excerpts of WBZ Boston Television News report

Sept. 24, 1999

Reporter Bill Shields interviewed Ocean Spray CEO Tom Bullock and Ocean Spray grower/owners Peter Beaton and Betty Brown.

Here are excerpts of the interview that was aired on Channel 4's 6:00PM news.

B. Brown: " There's no reason for the farmers in Massachusetts to go the way of farmers elsewhere, which is, you know, they're an endangered species, farmers in general."

B. Shields: Farmers like Betty Brown and Peter Beaton blame Ocean Spray, the cooperative that controls the industry......."

P. Beaton: "Things have got to change. We have to concentrate on the global market and not so much the domestic market. The domestic market is important, but we have to think globally."

B. Shields: " Critics of Ocean Spray say the company is endangering its own growers by not aggressively marketing their products."

B. Brown: "This crisis is caused by, not just an oversupply, but by problems with our management and board."

B. Shields: But Ocean Spray officials say it's not as simple as an oversupply of cranberries driving the prices down. They claim there are global pressures on the entire industry."

T. Bullock: "It's the cranberry business obviously...are..the cranberries; but it's the orange juice business, it's any other juice drink business, waters, anything that's perceived to be healthy, good for you. We compete in a much wider world than we used to."

B. Shields: (new  Ocean Spray 100% juice products shown on screen)  "In the next few months you'll be seeing new Ocean Spray products on the market. But growers say they're still in danger while their own cooperative, Ocean Spray, moves slowly to expand in a highly competitive world of drinks.

View Pictures