State-of-the-Art Facility Will Process 100 Million Pounds of Cranberries a Year in BC Area, One of the Largest Cranberry-Growing Regions in the World
RICHMOND – In time for the 2012 cranberry harvest, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., the world’s largest cranberry cooperative, has opened a new $26 million state-of-the-art cranberry receiving station facility in Richmond, British Columbia. BC is one of the largest cranberry-growing regions in the world, and the new high-tech receiving station will enable Ocean Spray to process its Richmond-area cranberry crop more efficiently.
Ocean Spray Chief Executive Officer Randy Papadellis was joined by Ocean Spray Board Vice-Chairman Peter Dhillon, Richmond East Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Linda Reid, Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie, several City Councilors and a number of Ocean Spray British Columbia-area growers in celebrating the opening of the new facility.
“We are thankful to MLA Reid, the City of Richmond Council and City staff for helping to make the new facility a reality,” Papadellis said. “The strong relationships we’ve formed with them are crucial to our success as we continue to invest in projects that benefit both our growers and the Richmond community in general.”
Located about four miles (six kilometers) away from the former Richmond receiving station, the site offers more convenient accessibility for local growers and more space and capacity for operations. Providing a 50 percent increase to Richmond’s current receiving capacity, the total daily capacity of the new facility will be in excess of 3 million pounds, with annual capacity approaching 100 million pounds. Additionally, growers should see decreased wait times when delivering their crops to the receiving station.
