Ocean Spray Uses Michigan Produce For Beloved Holiday Staple

It's sure to fly off Meijer shelves ahead of the holidays.

Of course Michigan is famous for our blueberries and Michigan cherries, but when did we become known for their cranberry produce too?

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It feels like we were just at the pumpkin patch on an 80° September afternoon, and now here we are turning back our clocks and budgeting for the upcoming holiday season. Don't tell me you've already busted out your holiday decorations from the attic?!

With the holiday season fast approaching Michiganders are flocking to their nearest Meijer store to stock up on plenty of hashbrowns, sour cream, and Vernors. I myself bought 4 tubes of crescent rolls, 3 packages of cream cheese, and a couple of cans of Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce too, just for good measure.

Something I was unaware of until this afternoon: blueberries and cranberries are of the same genus, vaccinium. According to the Michigan Ag Council cranberries are grown on nearly 250 acres across the state and can be grown, "in the Upper Peninsula, lower part of the northern peninsula and Southwest Michigan."

One can safely assume any of the numerous locally owned family farms which grow much of state's blueberry crop must also harvest cranberries too, right? DeGrandchamp's Blueberry Farm in South Haven, Michigan does just that.

As growers for Ocean Spray the West Michigan farm says the majority of their cranberries harvested,

are cleaned and shipped to Ocean Spray and can be found in any of their products.

Keep that in mind when you're sitting down to your family dinner this holiday season. Regardless of your feelings on jellied cranberry sauce vs. homemade, there's a bit of Michigan in every bite!