Sun Belle, Schiller Park, Ill., says the season’s first Chilean red currants under the Sun Belle label are hitting stores now and will be available through mid-February.
Ken Hopps, Sun Belle director of business development, who recently visited the company's partner farms in the central Chilean region of Maule, reports a “strong program on board.”
Tart, with a hint of sweetness, red currants grow in bright shiny clusters, making them especially appealing for recipes and garnishes, according to a news release. Sun Belle says these pearl-shaped, juicy berries pair well with cheese and grazing boards, with game and poultry, and in salads, jellies, baked goods, desserts and beverages.
“We love to bring red currants to our customers,” Sun Belle CEO Janice Honigberg said in the release. “Their beautiful bright color adds a bright spot in winter. They are also wonderful leading up to Valentine’s Day.”
Sun Belle and Green Belle offer conventional and organic blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, golden berries, cranberries, pomegranate arils, cherries and red currants. Sun Belle LLC, part of the Frutura family, operates five distribution centers nationally, including Schiller Park; Jessup, Md.; Oxnard, Calif.; Miami; and Laredo, Texas.
Related: Frutura acquires Sun Belle and Giddings Fruits, advances berry business