TRAVERSE CITY, MI - Our industry offers many pathways of growth, whether it’s through company size, production output, or innovative advancements. For North Bay Produce, that avenue of growth is through its pursuit of new berry varietals. How is this achieved for this international cooperative of growers? Why, through its commitment to better products and premium experiences for its customers.

“As innovators, we have made it a focus to collaborate with nurseries and universities worldwide to meet customers’ demands. Being able to offer our customers a superior product daily is the apparent success factor in North Bay’s growth,” Brian Klumpp, Director of Marketing and Strategic Development, tells me. “Providing our growers with exceptional plants and techniques helps the grower succeed with more efficient farming practices and generates better returns. It’s truly a win-win scenario, especially when it comes to our newer varieties, such as the Malu raspberries, SEKOYA® blueberries, and Erandy blackberries.”

Malu raspberries have shown superb size, color, and taste. The sweet red berry is firm, has an excellent shelf-life, and comes with a touch of acidity, giving a sort of palate cleanser as consumers gobble them up.

The SEKOYA blueberries are a group of varieties that have been proven winners for retail customers, growers, and consumers. SEKOYA blueberries currently have four varieties in its group, which are Pop, Beauty, Crunch, and Grande.

“Our new varieties are important because they have been selected to offer premium texture, flavor, shelf-life, and size. They are also grower friendly, making it easy to produce,” explains Brian. “We are excited to feature SEKOYA berries under our new RÈSERVE™ label. This premium berry will have high-end packaging to show off the fruit and alert consumers that these berries are super special! We have had our first year of commercial production with great success and will be doubling production beginning September 2023.”

Next in the berries lineup is the Erandy variety. Erandy blackberries are bright and shiny, with a uniform taste and texture throughout the berry from top to bottom. They are super sweet and have fewer seeds, creating a more pleasurable eating experience. The blackberry variety keeps its signature black color throughout the shipping cycle and is also under the new RÈSERVE packaging.

“We see new varietals and genetics as the future of the fruits and vegetables we offer our customers, and we have made it a priority over the past decade to test numerous varieties in our fields and orchards,” Brian continues. “This ensures products are a success for the grower, retailer, and consumer. Our newest berry varieties are creating excitement wherever they go.”

These exclusive plant genetic programs and worldwide family of growers help contribute to North Bay’s diverse, growing knowledge and resources, and secures our supply chain, notes Brian, which then in turn allows North Bay to offer its retail partners around the world a continuous supply of the best fruits and vegetables available.

The berry patch sure is bursting! If you’re curious as to what North Bay and the fresh produce industry is growing next, keep a lookout for ANUK’s latest reports.