These golden nuggets of sunshine go by many different names — cape gooseberries, physalis, golden berries, Inca berries and ground cherries, to name just a few.
They were once reserved for Incan royalty, have more antioxidants than green tea, are one of the highest sources of fiber for dried fruits, and just one has more vitamin C than three oranges, says Dennis Brito, CEO of Tankay, an Ecuadorian producer of golden berries.
So, why are golden berries potentially the next superfood? They’re getting easier to pick, pack and ship. Thanks to easing restrictions on cold treatment, husked golden berries are more accessible to U.S. importers, says Gary Caloroso, director of marketing for Giumarra Agricom, Los Angeles.
Giumarra recently added husked and whole Colombian cape gooseberries to its lineup, Caloroso says.
“They’re both sweet and tart — they have a very unique taste,” Caloroso says. “No cold treatment extends shelf life,” especially for the husked fruit, he says. That allows golden berries to stand out on displays, and catch a consumer’s eye.
“We believe these have the potential to be the next superfood, the next kale or acai — they’re a nutritional powerhouse,” he says.