Cranberry, a versatile and nutritious Chilean fruit

First, there are the health benefits they provide, including improved urinary, cardiovascular, intestinal, and oral health, as well as a higher concentration of antioxidants. Furthermore, cranberries are rich in vitamin C and have a unique and vibrant flavor with the perfect balance of sweet and tart notes.

Major alliances

To market the best of this super fruit, Ocean Spray and Cran Chile have maintained an alliance for years, where Social Responsibility and Ocean Spray's commitment to the community has been a priority, since through a cooperative dynamic it brings together around 700 farming families, who have collective ownership of the Cranberries, which guarantees greater care of the harvest that results in the creation of innovative products.

Chilean farmers, belonging to the Cran Chile cooperative (founded in 1992 by Warren and Caroline Simmons), located in the town of Lanco, have been cultivating cranberries for 30 years, and, through their 9 farms, have made Chile one of the most important producers of the super fruit in the world, outside of the United States and Canada.

Although in 2013, Cran Chile sold its state-of-the-art processing facilities in Lanco to the US company Ocean Spray through a 15-year supply agreement for its fruit, today this decision has paid off, demonstrating that the combination of Cran Chile farmers' production expertise with Ocean Spray's processing capacity has positioned both organizations as leaders in the global market.

How is it harvested?

Traditionally, the cranberry harvest is one of the most beautiful in the world. To protect the fruit and the fields, the process involves flooding the plantations with river water so the fruit floats and can be carefully removed. This not only creates a beautiful spectacle, but all the water used is also reused for irrigation.

Enjoy the versatility of cranberries with this recipe

Additionally, their versatility allows you to enjoy them in many ways; from snacks to refreshing drinks, salads, and main dishes. Below, we share one of the best ways to enjoy this super fruit:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of vegetable shortening
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 cups of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder (yeast)
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cups Ocean Spray® Craisins® Dried Cranberries with Cherry Juice
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F). Grease the baking sheets. In a medium bowl, cream the shortening and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg; mix well. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms. Stir in the dried cranberries.
• Drop the dough onto baking sheets using round spoons. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Dip each cookie halfway into melted chocolate, then roll it in sprinkles or nuts. Allow the chocolate to harden completely. Makes 3 dozen cookies.