Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. and PopUp Bagels are reprising their holiday-season partnership with a new Cranberry Orange Butter schmear available at all PopUp Bagels locations nationwide from November 12 through November 26. The limited-edition spread layers Ocean Spray sweetened dried cranberries with orange notes and a hint of cinnamon — a reformulated take on the cranberry butter that debuted in the two brands' first collaboration a year ago.
The Product
The schmear is exclusive to PopUp Bagels and built around Ocean Spray's sweetened dried cranberries, delivering a sweet-tart flavor profile that the brands are positioning as a Thanksgiving-season alternative to traditional holiday spreads. Adam Goldberg, founder of PopUp Bagels, cited persistent consumer demand as the reason for the return: last year's cranberry butter continued to draw requests well after it rotated off the menu, making a second run a straightforward call. The orange-cinnamon addition gives operators a seasonal hook tied to the broader fall-flavor cycle that has driven dispensed beverage and foodservice program sales across the convenience and foodservice channels in recent years.
For Ocean Spray, the collab is part of a broader brand-extension strategy aimed at placing cranberry in unexpected foodservice contexts. "When we find partners who share our maverick spirit of creativity and fun, it opens up new opportunities to connect with consumers in memorable ways," said Eliza Sadler, Head of Brand Elevation at Ocean Spray.
NYC Extension and Collectible Promo
The partnership stretches beyond schmear in New York City. From November 12 through November 26, Fairfax at 234 W 4th St will offer two limited-time bagel sandwiches — a Duck Confit Turkey PopUp Bagel Sandwich and a Homemade Sausage PopUp Bagel Sandwich — both served with Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce. The NYC-exclusive items represent a savory application of the cranberry ingredient story, a format increasingly common as ingredient brands seek foodservice proof points beyond their core retail shelf.
To mark launch day, Ocean Spray is distributing mini "Bagel Waders" — collectible bag charms modeled on the rubber waders worn during cranberry bog harvests. The first 37 guests at each PopUp Bagels location on November 12 receive one while supplies last. Limited-edition collectibles tied to LTO launches have become a low-cost traffic driver for fast-casual and bakery-café operators looking to generate social sharing without deep discounting.
Channel Context
Limited-time flavor collaborations between branded ingredient suppliers and specialty foodservice operators have accelerated since 2023, with ingredient co-branding offering both parties incremental reach. For convenience-channel observers, the Ocean Spray–PopUp Bagels model is relevant: branded schmear and flavored cream-cheese programs have shown up in c-store foodservice resets as operators look to differentiate fresh-food offerings beyond the roller grill and hot-case staples. Seasonal LTOs tied to recognizable consumer brands — particularly around the Thanksgiving and holiday window — consistently outperform year-round SKUs on trial rates, according to category data tracked by foodservice-at-cstore analysts.
The two-week availability window (November 12–26) is tightly aligned with the pre-Thanksgiving shopping and gifting period, when foot traffic at bakery and café concepts typically peaks and consumers show above-average receptivity to premium, occasion-tied price points.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
