In the mid-1970s, consumers responded to an increasing variety of products featuring cranberry flavor and the industry grew tremendously. In 1975, only about 20 percent of American households used cranberry juice products. By the early 1990s, this had increased to about 75 percent. A key reason for the increased popularity of cranberry products is because Americans have become more health-conscious. National scientific studies show that eating more fruits and vegetables may help prevent certain cancers, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
Some studies show that drinking cranberry juice helps prevent urinary tract infections.
In 1997, U.S. production was 5.5 million barrels, up from 4.2 million in 1995. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Wisconsin is the leading producer of cranberries with 2.3 million barrels. Massachusetts comes in second with 2.1 million barrels. The supply of cranberries has finally caught up with demand. New markets and new products will continue to keep demand increasing for the forseeable future, probably at a two to three percent growth per year.