SALINAS, CA - There is nothing quite like standing at the peak of a mountain and looking down to see the land you’ve traversed. Naturipe Farms is standing on its own metaphorical mountain, enjoying the late-summer peak of its raspberry and blackberry programs and taking in the fresh air of success. As it does so, the company is also continuing its inaugural “Summer of Snacking” campaign, aiming to help customers sell more berries by highlighting the benefits of healthy snacking.

“We’re excited to share with our customers that we have strong promotable volumes of raspberries and blackberries this late in the summer, and as we transition into fall,” says Vice President of Marketing CarrieAnn Arias. “As our customers help their shoppers with school lunches, after-school snacks, and weekday dinners, we are here for them, providing the delicious, fresh, and nutritious berries their shoppers demand.”

According to a press release from Naturipe, Americans are still snacking in record numbers, and the peak of its season serves as the perfect time to push fresh berries on the shelf. Berries pack a powerful punch of nutrition and are an easy, anytime snack, creating ample opportunities for retailers to educate shoppers through cross-merchandising.

Naturipe’s raspberries will remain at their peak through the month of September for conventional and organic varieties. The supplier offers a tailored, year-round, and 100 percent proprietary raspberry program from multiple growing regions, including Jalisco, Guanajuato, and Michoacán, Mexico; and Baja, California, with its Centennial variety serving as a produce aisle showstopper. Naturipe expects to continue seeing significant growth in its raspberry program over the next two years in Mexico, as its proprietary variety has performed well for the consumer, the customer, and the grower. Additionally, the company already has next-generation raspberries in the pipeline that will further enhance the consumer experience.

The fresh blackberry program is hitting strong volumes this month, and supplies are also in peak freshness. Current production areas include California, with Mexico starting in September with earlier-than-normal production in Michoacán and Guanajuato. Naturipe is seeking out new growing areas in the south of the country, while simultaneously accelerating its growth in Central Mexico and Baja California, and it will continue to see yearly growth as it expands its production. Naturipe’s breeding program is also making substantial advancements in its next generation of proprietary varieties to evolve its portfolio.

Naturipe’s variety improvement programs for raspberries and blackberries are focused on its commitment to developing new varieties that will continue to deliver on consumer demand for the overall eating experience. The supplier offers customers a wide array of pack sizes, including conventional 6 oz, 12 oz, and 18 oz, and organic 6 oz and 12 oz packs, which are available from multiple cooler locations.

Promotional volumes are available on all packs, and Naturipe offers a variety of marketing tools and programs to help its customers maximize sales. Naturipe Snacks™, Bliss and Boost Bentos, and the newly released Berry Parfaits featuring Chobani® Greek Yogurt are also perfect options for taking advantage of the current snacking trend.

We will continue to keep an eye on these exciting developments across Naturipe’s operations, so stay tuned.

Naturipe Farms