Leading fruit cooperative Ocean Spray has launched an urgent investigation after a series of viral social media videos appeared to show its iconic canned cranberry sauce filled with water instead of the festive condiment.
Viral Videos Spark Consumer Alarm
The issue came to light when a TikTok video, posted on Friday 28 November 2025, showed a consumer opening a can of Ocean Spray only to find it seemingly full of clear liquid. The clip, which also featured two other opened cans on a counter, has amassed a staggering 10.4 million views.
In a separate incident shared on Facebook shortly after Thanksgiving, another customer reported a similar experience. "This was my ocean spray cranberry sauce yesterday… 4 cans…who else had this happen?" the woman wrote. Her video, showing a can apparently filled with water and another frozen solid with ice, has been viewed over 102,000 times.
Company Response and Investigation
Ocean Spray confirmed it is taking the reports seriously. In a statement issued to multiple media outlets, the company said: "We’re aware of a few reports about cans containing water instead of cranberry sauce, and we’re looking into how this may have happened."
The Massachusetts-based firm, which was founded in 1930 by three independent growers, emphasised its commitment to quality. "Millions of families enjoyed their cranberry sauce this holiday season, but even one can of sauce not meeting expectations matters to us," the statement continued. "We’ve reached out to the folks who shared these videos to learn more and make it right."
A Thanksgiving Staple Under Scrutiny
The jellied cranberry sauce, a product synonymous with Thanksgiving tables across the United States and popular in the UK, has a long history. One of Ocean Spray's original farmers, Marcus Urann, first created the signature product in 1912. It became widely available nationwide in 1941.
Historically praised for its consistent quality, the product was described in a November 2022 New York Times article as "that same product you count on year after year" by Joan Driggs, a former vice president at IRI. This recent incident, however, suggests that consistency may have faltered for some consumers during the 2025 Thanksgiving period.
The investigation is ongoing as Ocean Spray works to determine the cause of the apparent packaging failure.
