Demand for Popular Craisins Drives Major Processing Plant Expansion in Wisconsin

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) -- During the early stages of plans to build a new sweetened-dried cranberry products (Craisins) plant in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Ocean Spray (Lakeville, Massachusetts), a cooperative owed producer, was already planning a second phase that would double the plant’s capacity. Driven by global demand for the sweet raisin like product, which has seen double-digit growth in recent years, Ocean Spray began forging ahead with the construction of a new Craisins plant adjacent to a company owned facility that makes cranberry juices. Construction on the $50 million plant began this past May and is slated to be operational in the summer of 2008. Pending final approval, phase two with an estimated cost of $25-$27 million, could be operational in the first half of 2009, with each line producing approximately 15 million pounds per year of Craisins.

The goal to more than quadruple production of Craisins has affected several plants across the country. Over the last two years, Ocean Spray has completed the installation of a new line in Tomah, Wisconsin and expansion of production facilities in Aberdeen, Washington and Middleboro, Massachusetts.

Research has found that sweetened dried cranberries reportedly have low sugar content and high fiber fruit content also having similar anti-bacterial effects of cranberry juice in the treatment of urinary tract infections.

Dennis Group, LLC (Springfield, Massachusetts) is providing design and construction management for the project. Plans call for a 100,000 square foot building that will be equipped with miles of stainless steel piping, a clean in place (CIP) system, optical and mechanical sorters, patented juice extraction equipment, packaging and warehouse space.

Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 650 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, British Columbia and Quebec, as well as more than 100 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2005 gross sales of roughly $1.4 billion.

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