Blackberries
Companies readying supplies blueberries, blackberries and raspberries as shoppers continue to crave berries.
Sustainability has become a core expectation for production as companies prioritize innovations and efficiencies.
The 2026 Viva Fresh Expo in San Antonio shattered attendance records, drawing nearly 2,900 industry professionals to a sold-out show floor. The event solidified its position as a premier produce hub, spotlighting major trends across the Tex-Mex corridor.
Industry leaders gathered in Orlando, Fla., to discuss expanding carrot programs, the rise of jumbo berries and navigating unpredictable climate patterns for the 2026 season.
By merging sophisticated branding with a best-of-harvest selection process, Sun Belle aims to capture the surging double-digit growth in the high-end berry market.
From anniversary milestones to jumbo berry trends and the debut of new commodities, exhibitors at the Southeast Produce Council’s event focus on brand loyalty and the power of in-person connections.
Driven by breakthrough varietal innovations from leaders like Wish Farms and Naturipe, and supported by record-breaking retail data from the California Strawberry Commission, the berry category is entering 2026 as a $500 million growth engine for the produce department.
To support long-term growth, Berry Fresh has expanded Sweet Karoline acreage into Oregon, extending the season and enhancing national availability.
The holiday-themed packaging for blueberries and blackberries will reach Kroger and select Wakefern stores by mid-October, the company says.
Paying homage to the company’s Southern California roots, Giumarra’s IFPA booth will feature beverages and street tacos for its Hispanic market theme.
The premium blackberry variety has been awarded the prestigious Superior Taste Award by the International Taste Institute, the company says.
During the recent Aneberries trade fair, Hortifrut’s CEO shared the vertically integrated company’s vision for the category.
At the recent Aneberries trade fair, members of the global berry industry said they’re reading the Trump administration’s tariff tea leaves and watching trade deals closely.
While at the IFPA Foodservice Conference, the California grower says it will showcase its year-round supply of fresh berries.
The annual trade fair, held July 23-24, marked its 15th anniversary and welcomed a record 3,000 attendees and exhibitors to Mexico’s Expo Guadalajara.
The Aneberries international conference and expo in Guadalajara, Mexico, kicked off July 23 with a look at berry consumer shopping trends from The Packer’s 2025 Fresh Trends report.
Retailers should have ample opportunities this summer to capitalize on consumer demand for strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.
With shipments underway, growers are touting raspberry and blackberry quality.
The Miami-based grower, shipper, and marketer says its organic Sweet Karoline blackberries will be available through mid-June.
The companies hope their partnership and a high-tech twist on sterile insect technique strategies will pave the way for the future for berry growers.
A collaboration will bring forth new premium berries and build on the momentum of Hunkaberry jumbo blueberry and Pink Cosmo, the companies say.
Fruit breeder said it plans to expand acreage in Oregon to extend the season of the blackberry.
The retailer says it launched the Field & Vine product line, which includes blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries, to highlight local growers.
Strawberries are going strong in California, and blueberries are available from California, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington. Blackberries and raspberries are available from the East Coast, California, Washington and Oregon.
Strawberries aren’t the only berries that shine during the summer. Blueberries, blackberries and raspberries also are berry standouts.
“For us, it was a perfect, unicorn type of an event — you just don’t get these kinds of opportunities very often, if ever,” Frutura’s CEO David Krause tells The Packer in a Q&A about what these acquisitions mean.
Blackberries and raspberries may not top consumers’ shopping lists, but they are commodities that a good number of shoppers pick up at least occasionally.