Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries continue to lure shoppers into the produce department.
According to the 2026 edition of The Packer’s Fresh Trends survey of consumer habits, 77% of shoppers purchased blueberries in the past 12 months, 61% bought blackberries and 59% took home some raspberries.
In the berry category, blueberries are second only to strawberries in popularity, and consumers now want and expect to have them year-round, says Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and the North American Blueberry Council.
The domestic season is just getting started, with Florida, Georgia and California currently shipping fruit, he says. Harvest will next spread to states like Washington, Oregon, Michigan, Indiana, New Jersey and North Carolina.
“There have been interesting weather patterns all across the country that have helped some areas and hurt others, but overall, there should be plenty of blueberries to go around,” Cronquist says.
Bounce-Back Season for the Garden State
New Jersey blueberries typically start picking around June 8, says Joe Atchison III, assistant secretary for the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
The height of the New Jersey season runs from late June through late July.
“Thus far in 2026, conditions have been indicating an excellent harvest of top-quality berries,” Atchison says. “New Jersey blueberries have a reputation [for] being bigger, better and more flavorful. They are a healthy snack that consumers crave.”
Growers in the state lost more than 25% of their crop to extreme heat last July, Atchison adds. This year, however, New Jersey is expecting a full harvest — about 38 million pounds.
Naturipe Farms
Salinas, Calif.-based Naturipe Farms LLC supplies blueberries, blackberries and raspberries year-round by rotating growing regions as the seasons change, says Joe Klick, associate vice president of product management.
“Right now, we’re in the thick of U.S. production, bringing in high volumes and strong promotional opportunities for all three berries,” he said in late April.
Naturipe’s growers continue to invest in proprietary varieties that have driven improvements in sweetness, size and texture, Klick adds.
“Our Envoy blueberry variety is a showstopper,” he explains. “Key varieties are offering an elevated flavor profile that doesn’t taste like anything else in the produce aisle right now.”
Blackberry sales also are trending upward, particularly from Georgia, where quality and flavor have been amazing, Klick says.
California Giant Berry Farms
Watsonville, Calif., blueberry volume from California Giant Berry Farms is projected to be up slightly in 2026 compared to last year because of newer varieties and solid performance across growing regions, according to Brad Peterson, director of business development for the company.
“The quality of the 2026 berry crop across our blueberry, raspberry and blackberry programs is shaping up to be excellent,” he says.
North Bay Produce
Traverse City, Mich.-based North Bay Produce is a year-round shipper of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, says Aaron Hunter, who serves on the company’s sales, procurement and category management team.
Peak seasons vary for each type of berry depending on whether they’re imported or domestic, he says.
During the summer, North Bay Produce will source these berries from about eight states in the U.S. as well as Mexico, Canada, Morocco and Peru.
“Quality has been excellent not only on our Sekoya varieties of blueberries, but our Erandy blackberries have also been a big hit,” he says.
Fruitist
Century City, Calif.-based Fruitist supplies berries year-round through a globally diversified growing network, explains Steve Magami, the company’s co-founder and CEO.
“By operating across multiple microclimates in regions including Peru, Mexico, Oregon, Morocco, Egypt, China, India, Chile, Romania and the U.S., we’re able to maintain a consistent 52-week supply across blueberries,” he says.
And the company continues to scale up its lines of blackberries, raspberries and cherries, Magami adds.
