The blueberry supply in North America is strong. “Georgia is well past peak production, and the Highbush varieties will run out in the next week,” says Tim Crane, Oppy's Blueberry Category Manager. “Next week we will load the new North Carolina crop for the first time; a bit later than expected, but the calendar has played in our favor. With a particularly long season window, it has the potential to be the biggest deal in the East." Crane adds that, in the past, it has been difficult to supply blueberries year-round on both coasts, so the addition of North Carolina helps solve this problem.

For Oppy, blueberries are part of a larger program of four berries which includes strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. As for blueberries, it has conventional and organic blueberries, as well as berries jumbo, all within the framework of an exclusive partnership with Ocean Spray which, for Oppy, continues to grow each year.

The blueberry season schedule is similar to last year. “The quality and the caliber have started very well. The berries they're obviously big and we're starting to see some vibrant colors,” says Crane.

Blueberry demand is strong on the East Coast, especially with domestic production available.

Other producing areas
While Georgia wraps up production, North Carolina will continue to supply the East Coast through mid-July, and New Jersey will start production in early June. On the west coast, blueberries will come from Mexico through May, and California will have a strong season from June through late August. “This brings us to perfect timing for our deals with Washington and British Columbia, where we expect a very strong season compared to last year. These areas will supply both the east and the west with Peruvian product until the end of the year,” says Crane.

As for demand, it's strong on the East Coast, especially with domestic production available. “We are delighted to give our partners retailers exactly what they've been asking for with this new zone added,” says Crane.

When it comes to what consumers are looking for in blueberries, they continue to demand packaging solutions, and Crane says that Oppy consistently looks for sustainable options for its products. In fact, it will soon incorporate into its range of berries a heat-sealing option, as part of its efforts to reduce plastic consumption.

Tim Crane claims that Oppy is also in its third season of berries Haskap.

Standing out on the shelves
On its packaging, Oppy's partnership with Ocean Spray also helps to differentiate itself in the category, which is typically hampered by label contamination. Crane claims that, according to an independent study, the Ocean Spray brand is 96% known.

Looking ahead, North Carolina will ramp up production over the next three weeks, with peak blueberry volumes throughout the month of June. In addition to the annual blueberry program, which also offers berries from Chile, Mexico, Peru, Canada and the US, will start producing San Joaquin Valley berries next month. The offer is currently coming from Mexico.

Oppy is also in his third season of Haskap. The Haskap is a berry unique that is traditionally not known outside of the farmers markets of the west coast of Canada. “It was only available to customers in the Vancouver metropolitan area in 2020, but it has created quite a stir across North America as customers retailers Nationals, regional chains and independents were waiting to try it out,” shares Crane. “We are delighted to expand this crop with our customer base.”