Kroger Hosts Cranberry Bogs

JULIE GALLAGHER

CINCINNATI — Kroger has gone to the bogs.

As part of an Ocean Spray promotion, 150 Kroger stores are hosting daylong freestanding cranberry bogs in front of their stores.

The models aim to replicate the scenic cranberry harvest, whereby bogs are filled with enough water to cover the berries, which are then picked with a motorized tool and float to the surface for harvesting.

“It's getting shoppers thinking about cranberry sauce, craisins and cranberry juice,” said Ken Romanzi, chief operating officer at Ocean Spray.

The 6-by-9-foot mini-bogs have about six inches of water, a layer of cranberries and a backdrop that bears an image of a vast cranberry bog, the Ocean Spray logo and the words “Straight from the Bog!”

Ocean Spray hired Fieldstone Marketing to assemble the bogs and provide actors for the six-week program, which will conclude this Sunday. Posing as cranberry growers, the actors don waders and distribute coupons good for 55 cents off the purchase of 64-ounce bottles of Ocean Spray's 100% juice.

“Kroger corporate loved the idea,” said Romanzi. “But this program isn't cheap. We'd need to see a huge lift in sales to expand it.”

Kroger isn't the first grocer to re-create a bog at its store, noted Romanzi. As part of an independent effort, Wegmans built a mini-bog in one of its produce departments last year, he said.