Ocean Spray Cranberries
Inc., the biggest U.S. maker of cranberry juice, is using its
market power to keep prices artificially high and thwart
competition, according to a lawsuit.
The suit by Los Angeles resident Elaine Culotti comes a month
after Ocean Spray’s major U.S. competitor, Northland Cranberries
Inc., filed an antitrust suit that also claimed that Ocean Spray
ties up cranberry production and blocks distribution of rivals’
juices at stores.
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Culotti’s unfair competition suit, which seeks class-action
status, asks for a court order to block Ocean Spray’s alleged
monopolistic practices and force the cooperative to reimburse
consumers.
“Ocean Spray’s ongoing efforts to operate as an unlawful
cartel and to protect and enhance its market power have harmed
competition,” according to the suit, filed yesterday in Los
Angeles Superior Court.
Chris Phillips, a spokesman for Lakeville, Massachusetts-
based Ocean Spray, a marketing cooperative owned by more than 900 cranberry and citrus growers, said he hasn’t seen the suit and
declined to comment.
Bloomberg News
