(Photo courtesy Chilean Fresh Fruit Association)
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t promote the berry category.
The sweet, juicy orbs no longer are seasonal items, thanks to imports from production areas around the globe.
Mexico and Chile are the main sources of imported berries, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service.
In 2018, the U.S. imported about 382.5 million pounds of blueberries, 44% of which came from Chile, 18% from Canada, 17% from Mexico and 15% from Peru.
The U.S. imported about 357 million pounds of strawberries in 2018, with 99% coming from Mexico.
About 222.5 million pounds of blackberries were imported in 2018, with 97% coming from Mexico and 3% from Guatemala.
And the U.S. imported 114.1 million pounds of raspberries in 2018, 99% of which came from Mexico.
Big role
Imported strawberries are an important part of the program at Watsonville, Calif.-based California Giant Berry Farms, said Cindy Jewell, vice president of marketing.
California strawberry production is at a minimum during the winter, she said.
“We’re relying on Florida and Mexico to fill the winter time period with strawberries.”
The company also imports blackberries, blueberries and raspberries from Mexico and blueberries from Chile at this time of year.
Jewell said there’s no drop in demand for berries in winter.
“People are realizing that they can get (berries) year-round,” she said.
Promotable volume now should be available on most varieties. As volume of imported berries increases, so do pack sizes – especially for blueberries.
“A lot of retailers are shifting away from the 6-ounce container and trying to make pints a more everyday container,” Jewell said.
Besides strawberries, Plant City, Fla.-based Wish Farms offers blueberries, raspberries and blackberries year-round, said Gary Wishnatzki, president, CEO and owner.
“We couldn’t do that without imports,” Wishnatzki said.
Jose Saca, director of cane berries for Wish Farms, said the early blackberry crop in Mexico got off to a rough start this year because of excessive rainfall in October and November.
But there are two blackberry harvests in Mexico. The second was expected to start during the latter half of December, so the middle and end of the season should be much improved.
“The quality looks good coming up,” Saca said in early December.
Raspberries were not significantly affected because they are grown in tunnels, he said.
Mexico’s strawberry exports have been growing for Naturipe Berry Growers, said Jose Luis Bustamante, Mexico director.
“The quality has been getting better,” Bustamante said.
Weather has been “perfect” in the Central Mexico growing area, he said, with cold mornings and warm days. All the strawberries are grown under hoops.
Naturipe’s Mexico blackberry volume has dipped a bit.
“We are in the middle of a change from a public variety to a proprietary variety,” Bustamante said. Volume should increase as the new variety takes hold.
Blackberries ship from Mexico starting in October, but peak exports are March, April and May.
Raspberry volume from Mexico is on the rise as new varieties are planted, he said. They’re available from October to May.
Mexico has not been a major source of blueberries, but that program is building.
Blueberry supplies
Chile is a major source of blueberries, and exports are expected to grow again during the 2019-20 season to reach 115,000 tons, a 4% increase compared to the previous season, said Karen Brux, managing director of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association.
“The Chilean blueberry industry is focused on making necessary changes to maintain its leading position in the global blueberry market,” Brux said.
According to Nielsen data, volume and dollar sales in the retail channel of blueberry imports during the winter season increased 3.7% and 10.8% respectively from 2017 to 2018, said Victoria De Bruin, marketing manager for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.
“Promoting year-round availability of fresh and frozen blueberries is critical to USHBC’s mission to promote a healthy blueberry industry by keeping our commodity top of mind and front of cart for consumers,” she said.
She suggested that retailers present blueberries with seasonal flavor pairings so consumers have a one-stop-shop for wintertime recipes.