The Cranberry Industry
We’re all getting a better understanding of the role of cranberries in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other conditions, and this increased awareness has resulted in strong cranberry sales and new products.
With more than 400 growers producing nearly 25 percent of the nation's cranberry supply, cranberries are the number one food crop in Massachusetts, having a crop value of $50 million. The cranberry industry provides an estimated 5,500 jobs and contributes more than $200 million to the Massachusetts economy.
Makepeace and its subsidiaries have been in the business of growing cranberries since the 1800s, when Abel D. Makepeace established hundreds of acres of bog across southeastern Massachusetts and became known as “The Cranberry King.” Today, the company farms some 1,750 acres of bog in the towns of Carver, Middleborough, Plymouth, Rochester and Wareham. A.D. Makepeace is the largest grower-owner of Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., and the largest cranberry grower in the world.