Naturipe is seeing an increase in its organic blueberry volume out of the Pacific Northwest, says Brian Vertrees, director of business development.
“We have increased our acreage out of eastern Washington, which will give us access to additional volume in some of the best growing regions for organic blueberries,” Vertrees said. “Additionally, in western Oregon, our organic blueberry fields are hitting their stride with great volumes projected.”
For all areas in the Pacific Northwest, he said the weather has favored blueberry output, notably ideal pollination conditions in the spring.
“Cooler weather in June slowed things up a little, but the net positive is it has also allowed the plants to slow down and produce fruit with additional flavor and firmness,” he said.
Naturipe’s organic strawberry volume is consistent with prior years for July and August, he said, and organic raspberry volume is steady with 2023, Vertrees said.
Organic scope
Naturipe grows organic strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries and avocados.
“We grow organic strawberries in California and Mexico, organic blueberries in Washington, Oregon, California, Georgia, Florida, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Argentina, organic raspberries in Mexico, organic cranberries in Wisconsin, and organic avocados in Mexico,” Vertrees said.
Beyond USDA organic certified, Vertrees said Naturipe has several fair-trade-certified farms in Chile, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.
All growers have a Global Food Safety Initiative-benchmarked food safety audit every year, either Primus GFS or GlobalGAP, he said. In addition, he said Naturipe is participating in the Ethical Charter Implementation Program, and many of its facilities also have the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit for social responsibility.
The organic difference
Naturipe uses sustainable practices for all its growing, harvesting and packaging processes, Vertrees said. The marketer’s organic berries are all grown in compliance with USDA National Organic Program regulations, which means the grower uses natural plant fertilization and natural pest management techniques.
Naturipe communicates with customers via announcements and advertisements about peak supplies of certain organic items, he said.
In addition, Naturipe packs its organic products with a bright green label.
“[The label] helps them to stand out on the shelf, and customers can easily tell what is and isn’t organic,” Vertrees said.
The future of organic demand is strong, he said.
“In recent years, we’ve seen the organic category expand as millennials and younger consumers drive demand up,” Vertrees said. “They’re focused on not only what goes into the food they buy, but also the environmental impacts of the choices they make.”
For those consumers, organic farming alleviates some of that concern.
“Whether you buy conventional or organic, your Naturipe berries will be delicious in every bite,” he said. “However, I’m excited that we’re able to offer organic for those customers who prefer it for any number of reasons, be it lifestyle choices, environmental concerns or anything in between.”
While core organic shoppers always stick with organic products, Vertrees said other consumers may buy only when the price is attractive. Retailers can play a role in expanding the market for organic items, he said.
“On the retail side, there is typically very good support for organics, but there are times during the year where production outpaces demand and this is where we need additional retail support to further help increase organic consumption,” he said. “Larger pack sizes and additional promotional opportunities are great ways to help grow consumption.”
