Berries are North Bay’s largest category and, therefore, very important to the company. The berry category has been the catalyst for growth since North Bay’s beginnings in 1991. In fact, on average, the company has grown 10-15 percent per year and will continue to grow with the continued emphasis on varietal and genetic opportunities within the berry category.
One of the more noteworthy developments in the segment this year has been North Bay’s continued improvement on blackberry genetics.
“The 2024-25 Mexican season will be the first season where North Bay will be 100 percent Tupi-free and only shipping proprietary genetics, both in the premium and standard product lines,” Lockman said. “Proprietary blackberry and blueberry genetics will be the biggest opportunity for growing business over the next year.”
The North Bay Reserve program will highlight the company’s blackberry and blueberry proprietary genetics. These genetics include Sekoya blueberries and Erandy blackberries, which will also be available in special packs.
“Giving consumers a consistently delicious piece of fruit with an easily recognizable label/pack is a great way for retailers to create incremental growth in each category,” Lockman said.
As with every year, Lockman noted some regions perform better than others, some regions have crop failures and some regions over perform, and as an average, 2023 was a great one for the company and it is expecting an even greater year this year with again, more emphasis on genetics.
“As of right now, the upcoming berry crops look great,” Lockman said. “To be more specific, Peru and Mexico have rebounded from El Niño. That greatly affected last season and it’s hopeful that we will be back on track for the 2024-25 crops.”
Success within the berry category for North Bay starts with never being stagnant and always progressing toward better consumer experiences with grower sustainability in mind.
“North Bay’s customers are ultimately the consumers; however, the retail partnerships that we have help convey and distribute the offerings to the consuming public,” Lockman said. “North Bay’s strategic partnerships with our retail partners are very important in the long term.”
At the retail level, North Bay understands that retailers are well informed on berry varieties so it’s important to work with them to educate consumers on these new and better than berries.
“There are methods that can be employed to do this and by working with North Bay’s sales and marketing team; everyone will benefit from increased awareness on all of the good things available today and in the future,” Lockman said.
