Wednesday, October 20, 2010

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Disney Dispatch Digest

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Ocean Spray Craisins Coming Soon to Disney

In what the company bills as the largest partnership in its 80-year history, Ocean Spray announced today a multi-year alliance with Disney to bring its dried cranberries (known as Craisins) to Disney parks, resorts, shops, and cruise ships.

Disney plans to use Craisins as a primary ingredient in new signature salads and in cranberry muffins, and the Craisins themselves will be available in special packaging stamped with the likenesses of Disney's new cranberry ambassadors, Chip 'n Dale.

Chip 'n Dale?

The chipmunks already headline their own Harvest Feast at Epcot's Garden Grill, a restaurant renowned for serving some of the healthiest food at Disney. Kids will be drawn to the packaging as they bustle busily through the parks, and parents will be drawn to the nutritional payload: just 1/3 cup of Craisins provides a full serving of fruit, among other benefits, and in a form more easily scarfed than an apple or an orange.

And that's exactly what Disney wants. For the past several years, Disney has been providing healthier food for park guests, especially kids, and it's now as common to see fresh fruit in snack carts as it is popcorn or pretzels. Craisins are an inspired addition to further Disney's nutritional goals.

So where can you get 'em? You can't. Not yet. Sharon Newcomb of Ocean Spray tells the Disney Dispatch that Craisins won't become available at Disney until March 2011.

The timing is not coincidental. This is Disney, remember? There has to be an event.

In this case, the event will occur a month later, in April 2011, at Disney's California Food & Wine Festival, where Disney plans to build 'cranberry bog displays' and have cranberry growers from around the country truck in over 2000 pounds of fresh cranberries. The growers will also share their personal stories and perhaps try to recruit a few impressionable youths as future cranberry growers. The cranberry bogs will later appear at Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival in fall 2011.

For official details, here's the press release:

OCEAN SPRAY AND WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS ANNOUNCE A MULTI-YEAR ALLIANCE TO OFFER CRAISINS DRIED CRANBERRIES TO GUESTS AT THE WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT AND THE DISNEYLAND RESORT

Multi-Year Partnership is Largest of its Kind in 80-Year Ocean Spray History

LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, Mass. (October 20, 2010) - Ocean Spray announced today a partnership with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts that will bring the Ocean Spray cranberry to a number of retail points at Disney parks, including a new presence at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., and Disney Cruise Line.

Disney will now offer Craisins Dried Cranberries at various retail locations, including theme parks, cruise ships, meeting rooms and hotels. The product will also be highlighted in new signature salads and Cranberry muffins and sold in fruit cart stands and kiosks inside the theme parks. The companies are also joining ogether to launch a special, co-branded version of Craisins Dried Cranberries packaging featuring Chip 'n Dale that will be used on Ocean Spray products sold on Disney properties.

"Ocean Spray is proud to form one of the largest partnerships of its kind in our history, with such a world-class organization as Disney that shares our wholesome, good-for-you focus," said Randy Papadellis, CEO of Ocean Spray. "We look forward to working with Disney, and we're pleased that Disney guests will now be able to enjoy the cranberry's great taste and health benefits and also learn about its unique American heritage."

As a part of Ocean Spray's ongoing commitment to educate consumers about the taste, health and heritage of the cranberry, the company will build cranberry bog displays during Disney's California Food & Wine Festival, held April 29 to June 12, 2011, and the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival in fall 2011. Third-, fourth- and fifth-generation cranberry growers will travel with 2,000 pounds of fresh cranberries from rural areas around the country to share their passion and personal farming histories while recreating the wonders of the harvest for families visiting the parks.

The events will provide the backdrop to showcase the versatility of the cranberry, and the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will be part of Ocean Spray's Fifth Annual Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Contest for executive chefs.

"Ocean Spray shares our company's commitment to providing guests who visit our theme parks with high-quality, well-balanced snack options," said George Aguel, senior vice president, Corporate Alliances and Operating Participants, the Walt Disney Company. "This agreement will provide Ocean Spray with opportunities to share its story with millions of guests from around the world in a memorable way and provide our guests with additional healthy options."

The inclusion of Ocean Spray products adds to Disney's existing portfolio of nutritious snack items as well as its ongoing effort to promote healthy lifestyles and nutrition for kids and families. Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries are made from real fruit, are naturally fat-free, cholesterol-free and a good source of fiber. Just 1/3 cup of Craisins Dried Cranberries provides one full serving of fruit.

The announcement comes after Disney first pioneered groundbreaking nutritional guidelines in 2006 aimed at giving parents and children healthier eating options. Today, more than 85 percent of Disney's licensed food portfolio consists of healthier options, including produce and low-fat dairy with more than one billion servings of fruits, vegetables and dairy sold in 2009 alone.

ABOUT OCEAN SPRAY
Ocean Spray is an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry growers in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and other parts of Canada as well as more than 50 Florida grapefruit growers. Ocean Spray was formed 80 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 2009 sales of $2 billion.

ABOUT WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts are where families experience and enjoy the magic of Disney's beloved characters and where dreams come true. More than 50 years ago, Walt Disney created a new kind of entertainment families could experience together, immersed in detailed atmospheres and vibrant storytelling. His vision now includes a collection of five of the world's leading family vacation destinations - Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba, Japan; Disneyland Resort Paris, Marne-la-Vallee, France; and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, located on Lantau Island. In addition, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts includes the world-class Disney Cruise Line; Disney Vacation Club, with more than 450,000 members; Adventures by Disney, a guided group vacation experience to some of the world's most popular destinations; and Walt Disney Imagineering, which creates and designs all Disney parks, resorts and attractions.

Contact the Author: Bob McLain

Stuff Not to Skip

Ocean Spray
http://www.oceanspray.com
Ocean Spray Craisins
http://www.oceanspray.com/products/craisins.aspx
Disney's Healthy Food Guidelines
http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/corporate/2006/2006_1016_food_guidelines.html
Chip ' Dale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chip_%27n_Dale