High-tech cranberry receiving station opens in B.C.

Richmond, B.C. – The world’s largest cranberry cooperative is opening a new receiving station in B.C.

Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. opened the new $26-million state-of-the-art facility just in time for the 2012 cranberry harvest. It’s the first new receiving station for the company in 15 years.

Pictured from left to right are: Peter Dhillon, Ocean Spray board vice-chairman; Malcolm Brodie, mayor; Randy Papadellis, Ocean Spray president and CEO; Linda Reid, member of the legislature, Richmond East; and Mike Stamatakos, Ocean Spray vice-president of agricultural supply and development.

The Massachusetts-based company chose B.C. because it is one of the largest cranberry-growing regions in the world. The high-tech receiving station will allow Ocean Spray to process its Richmond-area crop more efficiently.

The new station is located about six kilometers away from the former Richmond receiving station. The new site offers more convenient accessibility for local growers and more space and capacity for operations.

Providing a 50 per cent increase to Richmond’s current receiving capacity, the total daily capacity of the new facility will be in excess of three million pounds, with annual capacity approaching 100 million pounds.

In addition, growers will likely see decreased wait times when delivering their crops to the receiving station.

The new facility also includes equipment to sort and screen cranberries, as well as the means to bin all outbound fruit.

Further, the new station’s expanded capacity and improved capability ensures that B.C. remains positioned to meet all fruit receiving and cleaning requirements.

Ocean Spray will use the cranberries processed at its Richmond facility for products such as Craisins Dried Cranberries and juice concentrate.