Ocean Spray Cooperative Launches its Lighthouse Incubator Program with the Unveiling of its First-Ever New Brand, Atoka™

Ocean Spray's Lighthouse has a new, entrepreneurial approach to fuel disruptive, agile innovation. As a powerful proof point, the Lighthouse innovation incubator is debuting the farmer-owned cooperative's first-ever new brand, Atoka.

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Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.

Oct 03, 2019, 09:00 ET

BOSTON, Oct. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Link to Event Images: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ui56mc436c05wz9/AAB3I2hCE_CP164RlLMi4LgCa?dl=0

Atoka, a line of plant-based drinks, on display at the launch of the Ocean Spray Lighthouse Incubator Program, Wednesday Oct. 2, in Boston's Seaport District. (Josh Reynolds/AP Images for Ocean Spray)

Rizal Hamdallah, Ocean Spray Global Chief Innovation Officer at the launch of its Lighthouse Incubator Program to unveil Atoka, a line of plant-based drinks, Wednesday Oct. 2, in Boston's Seaport District. (Josh Reynolds/AP Images for Ocean Spray)

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. has officially embarked on its new, entrepreneurial, and agile approach to innovation through its Lighthouse, the cooperative's innovation incubator in the Boston Seaport District, which is rapidly ideating, developing, and bringing to market a variety of health-focused food and beverage products. Mindful of meeting people at different stages of their wellness journey through innovation, the Lighthouse has launched Atoka, a line of herbalist crafted plant-based drinks offering a variety of health benefits. Atoka is Ocean Spray's first-ever new brand and ushers in the next era of products that will be emanating from the Lighthouse.

Ocean Spray founded the Lighthouse to inspire collaboration, creativity, and ingenuity, with rapid innovation playing a critical role in Ocean Spray's growth. Taking an entrepreneurial approach to innovation, Ocean Spray is moving out of its comfort zone, creating new and exciting products that resonate with a more diversified audience. The Lighthouse incubator is Ocean Spray's way of building innovation from within the cooperative. The Lighthouse cultivates a new entrepreneurial culture from the inside out—creating products and brands true to the heritage of Ocean Spray that are indicative of a new disruptive era with a "build" mentality.

"Our Lighthouse Incubation team is set to tackle the most interesting challenges we face as a food and beverage industry today and position Ocean Spray at the forefront of change." said Rizal Hamdallah, Global Chief Innovation Officer at Ocean Spray.

Aside from the 5-month speed at which the Lighthouse will ideate and bring to market new products, there is another big difference that sets Ocean Spray's incubator apart from other food and beverage companies: Ocean Spray is farmer-owned. This structure energizes the Lighthouse team to innovate sustainable, nourishing food not only for people worldwide, but also for its farmer-owners. The Lighthouse is committed to Ocean Spray's purpose of connecting farms to families for a better life, and the launch of a wellness-focused brand like Atoka is the Lighthouse's first step.

Hamdallah continued, "Atoka is the first new brand to be incubated here in Boston at the Lighthouse, indicative of our emphasis on an intensely innovative, agile approach to product development and cultivating a culture of innovation throughout the organization. Atoka brings Ocean Spray into an entirely new category of wellness drinks, including a variety of oatmilks, tea tonics, and herbal shots offered in different herbal blends."

"The Lighthouse Incubation team is uniquely structured with strong entrepreneurial talent filling key positions and designed to push boundaries, and through that process we'll continue learning," said Santi Proano, the Head of the Lighthouse Incubator. "We are committed to accelerate innovation within only 5 months from idea, test and then market launch."

Harnessing the power of the iconic cranberry superfruit and inspired by Mother Nature, the Atoka line of Tea Tonics, Oatmilk Elixirs and Herbal Shots come in each of the following herbal blended flavors:

Herbal Blend: 01 – Cranberry, Guayusa, Ginseng + Ginger are blended to elevate your day into focus.
Herbal Blend: 02 – Elderberry, Reishi, Rosehips, Ginger + Spices come together to become a modern elderberry syrup, curated to support your daily wellness journey.
Herbal Blend: 03 – Dark Cherry, Chamomile, Hops + Ginger mix to help ease the tensions of daily life and quiet the busy mind.
Herbal Blend: 04 – Cranberry, Linden Flower, Lemongrass, Orange Peel + Ginger combine to soothe the belly & your senses.

Atoka will launch as test market in Boston area and the plan is to roll out in January 2020. To learn more, visit: www.atokawellness.com

About Ocean Spray:
Founded in 1930, Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers in the United States, Canada and Chile who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. The Cooperative's cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 100 countries worldwide. Leading by purpose, Ocean Spray is committed to the health of people and planet. For more information visit: www.oceanspray.com

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SOURCE Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.