LAKEVILLE (Massachusetts) – October 6, 2026- Press Release — The Healey-Driscoll Administration today joined Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. to celebrate a new partnership that will bring Massachusetts grown cranberries to K-12 students across the state, supporting local farmers and giving schools more opportunities to serve food grown right here in Massachusetts.
As part of its efforts to bring more locally grown food into school cafeterias, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) sought a processor to produce reduced sugar dried cranberries made exclusively from cranberries grown and harvested in Massachusetts. DESE awarded the contract to Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., creating a new Massachusetts-grown option for school districts participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods Distribution Program.
“Cranberries are an important part of our agricultural economy and heritage in Massachusetts, and we’re proud to bring more of them into school cafeterias across the state,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This is good for our students, good for our farmers and good for local communities. We’re grateful to Ocean Spray and our cranberry growers for partnering with us to bring more Massachusetts-grown food into our schools.”
“When schools buy local, we’re supporting Massachusetts farmers, strengthening our communities and giving students the chance to enjoy food grown close to home,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This partnership is a great example of how we can use the purchasing power of our schools to support local agriculture, and we’re excited to see Massachusetts-grown cranberries served to students across the state.”
The initiative builds on the Administration’s Farm to School efforts and advances a recommendation of the Governor’s Anti-Hunger Task Force to support high-quality school meals by sourcing more local foods and products and helping school districts navigate state and federal procurement processes to purchase locally grown food. Ocean Spray has verified that 100 percent of the cranberries used in the two products offered to Massachusetts schools will be grown and harvested in the Commonwealth.
The announcement comes as Massachusetts celebrates October as “Massachusetts Cranberry Month,” proclaimed by Governor Healey to recognize the state’s cranberry growers and the important role they play in the state’s agricultural economy.
Cranberries are Massachusetts’ top agricultural food commodity crop, supporting more than 6,400 jobs and generating more than $1.7 billion in economic impact, with approximately 11,500 acres of commercial cranberry bogs across the state.
The first Massachusetts-grown product, Fruit Punch flavored Craisins® Dried Cranberries, will be available to participating school districts beginning in October 2026, followed by Raspberry Lemonade Flavored Craisins® Dried Cranberries in February 2027. Both products are part of Ocean Spray’s reformulated 1.16-ounce Craisins® Dried Cranberries platform and are designed to comply with updated USDA requirements for added sugars in school meals under the Child Nutrition Programs meal pattern rule.
“Every student deserves access to high-quality, nutritious school meals, and we have an opportunity to serve more food grown right here in Massachusetts,” said Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “Making locally grown products more accessible through our statewide school nutrition programs helps districts turn that goal into practice. This initiative strengthens school meals while building stronger connections between our schools and Massachusetts agriculture.”
Massachusetts is one of nine states providing universal free school meals to all students, helping ensure students have access to nutritious breakfast and lunch at school each day. Approximately 292,000 students participate in school breakfast each day and 595,000 participate in school lunch, with breakfast participation increasing by 20 percent since the 2022-2023 school year. State funding for universal free school meals has also helped school nutrition programs plan ahead and invest in high-quality meals that incorporate more locally grown food.
Massachusetts’ Farm to School efforts connect farms with school meal programs and help schools incorporate locally grown foods into cafeterias. More than 500,000 Massachusetts students at approximately 1,400 schools are reached through Farm to School, with 78 percent of the Commonwealth’s school food authorities participating, according to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources. Massachusetts Government
“When we invest in local, healthy food, we invest in our students’ learning,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Pedro Martinez. “Partnerships such as this support our school nutrition programs and our local communities and help to provide students nutritious food during the school day.”
“October is the perfect time to launch this initiative as Massachusetts celebrates both Cranberry Month and Farm to School Month,” said Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle. “For centuries, our cranberry growers have been an integral part of our agricultural heritage, and this partnership directly supports our local family farms. By expanding Farm to School practices, we are strengthening our local food system and ensuring our students have access to a healthy homegrown snack while understanding the vital role Massachusetts farming plays in their daily lives.”
“We’re excited to bring a new generation of Craisins® Dried Cranberries to Massachusetts schools. These products were specifically developed to meet evolving school nutrition standards, while delivering the great taste students love,” said Ocean Spray Head of USA Foods and Snacking Kelvin Vuong. “As a farmer-owned cooperative with deep roots in the Commonwealth, we’re proud to help connect Massachusetts-grown fruit with Massachusetts students.”
The Massachusetts-grown products will be available exclusively to Massachusetts K-12 school districts through DESE’s USDA Foods Distribution Program. Districts will order the products through Gold Star Foods, DESE’s state-contracted warehouse and distributor in Canton, and the standard delivery fee for the products will be waived for the 2026-2027 school year to support school participation.
The Fruit Punch Flavored Craisins® Dried Cranberries are packaged in cases containing 200 1.16-ounce pouches, contain 50 percent less sugarǂ and each pouch provides a half-cup of fruit†. Ocean Spray’s product materials also identify the product as an excellent source of fiber, Buy American approved, peanut free and made without artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners.
†Each ¼ cup (32.9g) serving of Craisins® Dried Cranberries provides ½ cup of fruit.
ǂThis product contains 12 g sugar compared to 24 g sugar per serving of Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
