CARVER, Mass., Aug 05, 2010, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. of Lakeville-Middleboro, MA filed another lawsuit against Decas Cranberry Products and several other yet to be named cranberry growers and handlers. The complaint alleges that Decas has been (1) using deceitful tactics to smear one of their products, Ocean Spray "Choice Sweetened Dried Cranberries" and (2) soliciting growers to join an anti-trust law suit against Ocean Spray (including Ocean Spray's growers).
According to Chuck Dillon, President and CEO of Decas Cranberry, the suit is totally frivolous and is simply another attempt by Ocean Spray to divert attention away from the damage that they are causing the cranberry industry by selling "cranberry products" that have little or no cranberry juice in them. Mr. Dillon added, "Ocean Spray should address with their consumers why they are selling a dried cranberry product that has little or no cranberry juice instead of hiding behind this tale of Decas deception. According to their own statements Ocean Spray uses 50% less cranberries to make Choice than they use to make their regular sweetened dried cranberries." Dillon went on to say, "Why does Ocean Spray continue to claim that Choice is sold only to manufacturing companies when Decas bought a bag of the Choice product right off the shelf at Smart and Final which is a retail store in California?"
Regarding the anti-trust issue Decas finds their allegations simply bizarre and irrational. Decas, although supportive of the movement, did not initiate and is not the driving force behind this pending legal action by concerned independent growers. It was started by growers in Oregon and spread to Wisconsin and on to Massachusetts and now there are over 100 growers involved. According to Dillon, "Ocean Spray is aware of, and deathly afraid, of an independent grower initiative to take class action legal initiatives against them, and this lawsuit against Decas as well as unnamed growers is an attempt to bully independent growers into not participating in the suit. I expect, growers will see through the Ocean Spray threats and will not be deterred. Decas already has an antitrust case pending in court against Ocean Spray. Why would we want another one? It doesn't make sense, but Ocean Spray is desperate."
Source: Decas Cranberries Inc.
