Inescapable is the berry in holiday spreads; in fact, if you Google “holiday berry recipes,” a veritable avalanche of festive cheer will blast through your computer—believe me, I’ve checked. The bright hues and the sweet bursts of flavor embody the warmth surrounding the last two months of the year. My own memories of a berry compote fresh from the oven springs to mind. In order to capture this magic in the produce aisle, I spoke with several industry friends who know a thing or two about merchandising berries this holiday season…
“Fall is a great time to slow down and spend a little more time doing what we love. We like to promote our berries by putting a twist on classic holiday recipes. For example, our triple-berry sauce, which includes cranberries, blueberries, and strawberries, is a holiday favorite. It takes a recipe from delicious to ‘oh, my goodness!’ with just a few minutes in the kitchen. In addition to September and October being peak cranberry season, we also have promotable volumes of blueberries this season. This makes our Strawberry, Blueberry, and Cranberry Sauce the perfect addition to families’ holiday tables.”
“Including berries in holiday dishes is a great way to elevate a dish! Berries not only add flavor, but they also bring a pop of color and pack a nutritious punch. Berries are diverse when used as a cooking ingredient. Naturally, they complement most sweet dishes—however one may be surprised by the multiple savory applications berries go well with—such as my current favorite side: Strawberry and Grilled Asparagus Salad! It’s a flavorful, easy dish, prime for the holiday season, or any other day for that matter!”
“Strawberries, specifically Smuccies™ Sweet Strawberries, are a great fit for promotional opportunities during the holiday season. The bright red color and sweet flavor make them the perfect festive fruit to add to desserts, or even pair with your favorite spirit or bar of dark chocolate! Even better, our berries are CEA-grown year-round in southwestern Ontario, a typically cold region. For customers in the Midwest and on the East Coast that usually rely on imported berries, our proximity to market helps us reduce food miles, allowing for maximum flavor, quality, and shelf-life!”
“Not only are strawberries the bright red color associated with the holidays, they are a sweet, colorful, and healthy treat for the whole family. You can dress them up with chocolate, sprinkles, or other fun and festive decorations for any celebration. I like to use them as garnishes for champagne glasses while my mom is sure to make her famous berry pies. So, whether you’re jazzing them up as tiny Santa hats or grabbing a handful out of the fridge as you dash from party to party, strawberries are sure to be a crowd pleaser through the holidays and beyond.”
“Fall is in the air, and we know this time of year pumpkin flavor is on everyone’s mind. Pumpkin spice fans—cover your ears! Berries pair perfectly (dare we say, better?) with all the warm spices of fall like cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. To bring new fall inspiration, Wish Farms will be sharing a series of full-length recipe videos in partnership with Retro Rad Chef Emily Ellyn. This Food Network star cooks up unexpected flavor combinations mixing Wish Farms berries with all our favorite fall spices to create a twist on warm comfort dishes, desserts, and cocktails. Our hope is that berry lovers will find new ways to incorporate berries into their fall favorites.”
“Our award-winning WOW® Berries offer exceptional varieties and arguably the best strawberries in North America. These special berries are an ideal treat to bring around for special occasions. So, the holiday season lends itself perfectly to promotional opportunities for our berries. Not to mention, at a time of year when many growers are unable to meet the demand for certain fruits, SUNSET® has the capacity to deliver exquisite berries and delight consumers throughout the holidays and beyond. And we have more surprises following the holidays: Look out for our incredible angelberry™ raspberries and moonberry™ blackberries launching in 2023!”
“With the holiday season fast approaching, fresh blackberries and raspberries are top of mind for consumers when it comes to delicious recipes. Driscoll’s is the market leader with these two berries, continuing to disrupt the category with explosive growth. Great flavor drives sales growth, and we are excited to see the power of the brand make a difference in the marketplace. As always, expect a few more surprises from Driscoll’s as we continue to push innovation and meet consumer needs in new ways.”
“This is the time of year when fresh produce and total grocery sales are typically at an all-time high as the holiday season approaches. Now that our fresh strawberries are promotable on a year-round basis, they have quickly become a holiday favorite. The beautiful red color and sweet flavor of strawberries fit right into all the celebrations ahead for fall and winter holidays. We are sharing several new seasonal recipes from drinks to desserts to help those looking for inspiration to celebrate with family and friends.”
“With farms throughout the world, our farmer-owned cooperative does have berries that will be very promotable for the upcoming holiday season, particularly organic and conventional blueberries in November and around Thanksgiving. Raspberries and blackberries will also have promotional opportunities through the Thanksgiving loading period and into December. Berries will be a very important piece to the holiday menu and whether it’s blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, they will be readily available over the holiday period.” 
