FAQs

Products

Where can I purchase your products?

Ocean Spray® products can be found in grocery, convenience, drug and club stores across Canada. If you Don’t see one of our products on your grocer's shelves, please ask the store manager so they can order and stock it for your convenience.

Where can I find Craisins® Dried Cranberries?

Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries - in original, blueberry, pomegranate and cherry flavours - are nationally distributed and can be found in produce or the baking aisles of grocery stores, as well as drug and club stores.

Why can't I find Ocean Spray® Fresh Cranberries all year?

We harvest fresh cranberries in the fall, filling the produce section at your local supermarket with lots of the bright red berries. Fresh cranberries are generally available in early October through December. Cranberries may be frozen, for up to a year, so we suggest that you stock up on extra cranberries around Thanksgiving to use throughout the year.

Are Ocean Spray juices pasteurized?

Yes, we pasteurize all our juice products to ensure that they are safe for consumers. This heating process eliminates the possibility of harmful bacteria. Please remember to refrigerate juices after opening to maintain their freshness.

What do the words "from concentrate" mean on the label?

Our products are produced by using juices from concentrate. At harvest time, the juice from the fruit is concentrated, a process that removes the water. Then, during the juice manufacturing process, water is added along with the juice concentrate.

Do your 100% juices have added sugar?

We do not add any sugar to our 100% Premium Cranberry Juices and 100% Grapefruit Juices. The grams of sugar shown on the label come from fructose and glucose naturally occurring in the fruit juices used to make the product.

If I have diabetes, can I drink your juices?

Ocean Spray® Low Calorie Cocktails are appropriate for people with diabetes. They are sweetened with sucralose. With just 40 calories per 250mL serving, Low Calorie Cocktails offer a delicious, low-calorie and low-carb option for those with diabetes who don't want to sacrifice taste when incorporating more healthful beverages into their diets. We also offer a super refreshing line of Diet beverages which contain 10 calories per 250mL serving plus a daily dose of vitamin C. We suggest you consult your physician for his or her recommendation.

Do Ocean Spray® products contain gluten?

The protein gluten found in certain grains (wheat, barley, rye and oats or hybrids of these) is a concern for those with Celiac Disease. Based on documentation from our ingredient suppliers, our other beverages, Craisins® Dried Cranberries and sauces, are free from this type of gluten. If you have a particularly acute sensitivity to gluten in foods, we suggest you consult your physician for his or her recommendation.

Are your products Kosher?

The following products from Ocean Spray® Cranberries, Inc. have been certified by Rabbi J.H. Ralbag, 225 W. 86th St. New York, NY 10024, as being absolutely free of any forbidden substances and bear the "K" KOSHER identification:

  • Ocean Spray® Cranberry Cocktail
  • Ocean Spray® Diet Cranberry Beverage
  • Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
  • Ocean Spray® Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
  • Ocean Spray® Fresh Cranberries
  • Ocean Spray® Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries, all flavours, CERTIFIED OU

Packaging

Packaging Are your packages recyclable?

Most Ocean Spray products are packaged using recyclable PET (number 1) plastic juice containers. They can generally be recycled with plastic soda bottles where facilities exist.

I am having difficulty opening the caps to your juices. Do you have a suggestion?

If you purchase a bottle that you find difficult to open, we suggest running the cap area under hot water for about one minute. This will usually soften the seal enough for you to open it. If this is not sufficient, please contact us at 1-800-662-3263 before trying other ways to open the bottle.

Do your bottles contain BPA?

Food safety and quality are our top priority at Ocean Spray. Ocean Spray plastic (PET or PP) juice bottles do not contain Bisphenol-A (more commonly known as BPA). Please be assured that Ocean Spray takes our responsibility to protect our consumers very seriously, and the health and safety of our products is of utmost concern.

Recipes

Where can I find Ocean Spray recipes?

We have a whole selection of recipes right here on our web site. Or call us directly at 1-800-662-3263 for more recipes and ideas.

Can I prepare a cranberry bread recipe and bake it as muffins instead (or vice versa)?

Yes. A bread recipe will yield approximately 1 dozen muffins, depending on the size of the individual muffins. Use the same oven temperature as indicated in the recipe for baking bread, but reduce your baking time to 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

How do I prepare Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries for cooking?

First sort out any soft berries and stems. Rinse berries in cold water, drain well and use as the recipe directs. There are three cups (750mL) of cranberries in a 340g. bag of Ocean Spray® Fresh Cranberries. If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before using. Your recipe should specify whether to use chopped cranberries or not. If it doesn't, be sure to measure your cranberries before chopping them. Follow this guide:

If the recipe says to use "1 cup (250mL) chopped cranberries" chop the cranberries first, then measure them.

If the recipe says to use "1 cup cranberries (250mL), chopped" measure the cranberries first, then chop them.

Can I substitute Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries for fresh or frozen cranberries?

Yes, Craisins® Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a ¼ cup (60mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup (250mL) of fresh or frozen cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175mL) of Craisins®. Craisins® should not be used in cooked sauces. Since they are a dried fruit, they do not contain the pectin necessary for the sauce to gel.

Do I need to soak or "plump" Craisins® Dried Cranberries before using in baked recipes?

No. Craisins® Dried Cranberries can be used right out of the bag. You can substitute Craisins® for fresh or frozen cranberries. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175mL) of Craisins®.

Storage

How should I store products after they've been opened?

  • Juices and Juice Drinks
  • Ocean Spray juice products do not contain preservatives and must be capped tightly and refrigerated after opening. While we cannot say exactly how long our juice products will stay fresh after opening, in general they may be kept refrigerated for two to three weeks.
  • Craisins® Dried Cranberries
  • Craisins® should be tightly sealed in their original package and store in a pantry or cupboard at room temperature. For optimum quality, please use by the "Best By" date stamped on the back, bottom of the package
  • Fresh Cranberries
  • Fresh cranberries should be stored in the refrigerator in their original plastic bag for up to a month. We suggest freezing them if you are not going to use them during that time frame. Cranberries freeze nicely, in their original package, and last up to one year.
  • Jellied or Whole Berry Sauce
  • Prior to opening, cranberry sauce can be stored at room temperature or the refrigerator. After opening, remove from the can and store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. We do not recommend freezing cranberry sauce, as after thawing, it may become too watery.

How long can I store your juices and cocktails if they haven't been opened?

Our juices have a “Best Before” date code. You can find this stamped on the top of our caps. Here's an example of what it could look like:

16DE31H6365CJ11420

And here’s what it means:
16 = Year (2016)
DE = Month of the year (December)
31 = Day of the month
H = Plant
6 = Year (2016)
365 = Day of Year (Julian Date)
CJ = Product (Cranberry Juice)
1 = Line
1420 = Military time

Under normal storage conditions, unopened products should be okay for six to 12 months from the time they’re manufactured. This will vary depending on the product, but for best quality and taste, use the product before the date stamped on it.

Sauce :

Our products have a "Best Before" date code. Here's an example of what it might look like:

123116/ 1KJ1622

And here's what it means:
12 = Month of the year (December)
31 = Day of the month
16 = Year (2016)
1 = Line
K = Production facility
J = Product (Jellied Cranberry Sauce)
1622= Military time

Shelf-life evaluations are made on products stored at a constant, ideal temperature of 70 degrees F. Shelf-life stamped on the container is intended to be a guideline since actual storage conditions probably vary from the ideal after the product leaves Ocean Spray's control. In general, after they are opened, our juices and sauces may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for at least two weeks. For best quality and taste, use the product before the date stamped on it.