Food In Canada

Ocean Spray acquires Quebec cranberry grower

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Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. has acquired Atoka Cranberries Inc., which is based in Quebec and home to the fastest-growing cranberry farming region in the world


Manseau, Que. – Atoka Cranberries Inc. is now part of a larger U.S.-based agricultural cooperative.

In a statement, Massachusetts-based Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. announced that it has acquired the Quebec company from The Bieler Group.

Ocean Spray says the acquisition will expand its presence in the province and it expects the transaction to close in the coming weeks.

On Atoka’s website, the company says Bieler Cranberries Inc. is Atoka’s sister company and is “the world’s third-largest cranberry grower.”

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Atoka was founded in 1984 as a cranberry farming operation. In 1988, says the website, the company began constructing a plant and over the years “launched its marketing, packaging and processing operations.” Today the company has five production lines, three freezer units and a state-of-the-art laboratory.

Ocean Spray says in addition to the Atoka brand and processing facility, it also intends to acquire The Bieler Group’s freezer and receiving facilities in the coming year. The statement also says “The Bieler Group will retain its world-class cranberry growing operations and become a Farmer-Owner of the Ocean Spray Cooperative.”

Atoka’s 130 employees will become part of the Ocean Spray manufacturing network, which includes five food plants in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Washington, and Lanco, Chile, as well as four beverage facilities in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Texas and Nevada, says the statement.


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