News

Ocean Spray CEO fired for violating company’s anti-harassment policy

By Manoella Macedo

Cranberry bog Ocean Spray Bill Morrisson, of Eagle Holt Brand, uses a water picker to harvest the first cranberries of the season at a bog Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014, in Marion, Mass. The cranberries will be used to make juice by Ocean Spray. (AP Photo/Standard Times, Peter Pereira) (Peter Pereira/AP)

By Manoella Macedo

LAKEVILLE-MIDDLEBORO, Mass. — Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc. announced the company has fired their chief executive officer for allegedly violating their policy against harassment.

Bobby Chacko, a 25-year veteran in the food and beverage industry, is being succeeded by James D. White, who previously served as President and CEO at Jamba Juice.

It is unclear how Chacko violated the company’s anti-harassment policies.

“At Ocean Spray, we have pledged to hold everyone accountable and ensure that every decision is made in the best interest of the cooperative,” said Peter Dhillon, chairman of the Ocean Spray board of directors. “It should be noted that Bobby Chacko helped to right the ship at Ocean Spray and set us on a new path. However, no matter how valuable someone’s contributions may be, we simply cannot accept a violation of our company policy. In James White, we have an interim CEO who has served as a Board Advisor and is well acquainted with the growth plan we have laid out."

Before joining Jamba Juice, White held senior executive positions at Safeway Stores, Inc., the Gillette Company, and Nestlé-Purina and Coca-Cola. He joined the Ocean Spray Board as an advisor in June 2019.

Ocean Spray has started searching for a permanent CEO.


© 2020 Cox Media Group

Most Read