Contacts:
Sharon Newcomb
Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc.
508-946-7185
snewcomb@oceanspray.com
Ericka Helwig
617-520-7028
ehelwig@webershandwick.com
Jennifer Barnhart
American Culinary ChefsBest
(415) 248-5115
jenniferb@chefsbest.org
OCEAN SPRAY CRAISINS® CAPTURES PRESTIGIOUS 2007 CHEFSBEST™ AWARD
In a blind taste test the independent chefs at American Culinary ChefsBest™ named Ocean Spray® Craisins® America’s best-tasting sweetened dried cranberries
LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, MA (November 16, 2006) – The results are in, and the nation’s best-tasting sweetened dried cranberries are Ocean Spray® Craisins® according to American Culinary ChefsBest™, an independent judging organization dedicated to recognizing and honoring the best products in America1. Ocean Spray® Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries are not only the sweetest way to eat a cranberry, but also the best-tasting sweetened dried cranberries on the shelf. Families looking for a sweet, healthy snack can trust the taste and quality of Ocean Spray® Craisins®.
The ChefsBest™ Award helps consumers select the best food and beverage products for themselves and their families. For the ChefsBest™ judges it was the balanced, sweet taste of Ocean Spray® Craisins® that set it apart from the competition, which included Mariani and Sunmaid sweetened dried cranberries. Ocean Spray® Craisins® joins Ocean Spray® 100% Cranberry Juice and Cranberry Juice Cocktail products in the elite group of ChefsBest™ taste award winners.
“Food is the third largest expenditure of the American household. Yet with thousands of products in the average grocery store, it can be hard to determine which is the best product for your dollar,” said Heidi Wissmiller, Chief Operating Officer, American Culinary ChefsBest™. “The ChefsBest™ Award provides unbiased, credible information about the best products in America.”
“The ChefsBest™ Award reinforces our promise to provide high quality, great-tasting, superior performance products,” said Ken Romanzi, Ocean Spray’s Chief Operating Officer. “Winning the ChefsBest™ Award emphasizes to healthy snack consumers that they have made the best buying decision for their family.”
The ChefsBest™ judging process follows a strict, proprietary protocol. All of the ChefsBest™ tastings are blind so the chef panelists do not know which brands are being evaluated. To uphold the high integrity standards for the Best Taste/Performance Award, the judging process is protected from outside influence. Products are purchased nationwide by ChefsBest™, just as a consumer would. ChefsBest™ determines categories independently of manufacturers and companies do not pay to have their products judged. Other winners of the prestigious ChefsBest™ award include Yoplait® Light and Fat-Free Yogurt, Nestle® Tollhouse® Morsels and Kellogg’s® Nutri-Grain® Bars.
In a marketplace crowded with so many snacks, Ocean Spray® Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries is another way Ocean Spray offers consumers the healthy goodness of cranberries, helping families live healthier lives. Made from real fruit, Craisins® are naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free and a good source of dietary fiber. In addition, 1/3 cup of Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries contains the same urinary tract health benefits as a serving of Cranberry Juice Cocktail. Craisins® are great any time of day and are available in three surprisingly sweet flavors: Original, Cherry and Orange at the suggested retail price of $2.50 for a 6-ounce resealable, portable pouch.
ChefsBest™ Award Winning products are easily identified by the three chef heads profile on the double gold medallion. To find out more about ChefsBest™ and other award winning products, please visit www.chefsbest.org.
About Ocean Spray
Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 650 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as more than 100 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed 75 years ago by three cranberry growers from Massachusetts and New Jersey. Florida grapefruit growers joined the Cooperative in 1976. Ocean Spray is North America’s leading producer of canned and bottled juices and juice drinks, and has been the best-selling brand name in the canned and bottled juice category since 1981. Ocean Spray posted fiscal 2005 gross sales of about $1.4 billion.
About American Culinary ChefsBest™
American Culinary ChefsBest™ is the independent, chef-based organization dedicated to recognizing and honoring the Best products in America. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, the organization conducts taste and performance testing for food and food-related products. All testing is done independent of manufacturers and they do not pay to be judged. The prestigious ChefsBest Award can be found on over 1,500 product including such revered products as Lay’s Classic Potato Chips, Yoplait Light Yogurt, Kraft Mayonnaise and Sara Lee Frozen Pies.
1The ChefsBest™ Best Taste Award is awarded to the brand rated highest overall among leading brands by independent professional chefs.
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