July’s Fruit of the Month is blackberry! They are sweet, tart, and earthy, plus being high in nutritional value. Antioxidants and vitamins make this delectable fruit even more attractive to enjoy whole or as a unique complement to other flavors. From cocktails to marinades, blackberries are an essential summer addition to your product line.
Let’s dive into its dynamic flavor profile, pairing recommendations, and available products to help you best utilize this rich, delicious fruit for your customers!
Northwest Naturals Products Available
We have a wide range of ready-to-ship blackberry products, including blackberry juice blends. If you seek a juice blend not yet listed, we are ready to help you create it! Visit our blog post on creating custom blends for more details. Contact us to find out which option works best for your applications.
- Blackberry Juice Concentrate (JC)
- Marion Blackberry JC
- Boysenberry JC
- Blackberry Essence
- Blackberry JC with other natural flavors (WONF)
- Blackberry Lemon Concentrate Blend
- Marion Blackberry JC WONF
- Boysenberry JC WONF
- Organic Blackberry JC
- Organic Blackberry with other organic flavors (WOOF)
Season
We can harvest blackberries all year, but the peak season is mid-June to early October. They are highly perishable and last only a few days after harvesting. Blackberry juice concentrates and blends last significantly longer.
Additionally, there have been challenges in sourcing blackberries in recent years. Excessive heat and low precipitation, among other environmental factors, have decreased blackberry yields. The lack of inventory has pushed Blackberry Juice Concentrate to a premium price. We suggest using the WONF blends for full flavor at a more manageable cost.
Flavor Profiles
Blackberry flavor is similar to a red grape but sweeter, deeper, and stronger. They are succulent, soft, and juicy, slightly tart with earthy undertones.
Pairing Suggestions
Blackberries’ dynamic notes make it a unique and sophisticated blend with many flavors. We recommend pairing it with fruits like apple, apricot, blueberry, citrus, mango, peach, raspberry, and strawberry. Complementary spices and herbs include vanilla, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, ginger, mint, and rosemary. Other delicious pairings worth exploring are hazelnuts, almonds, honey, champagne, brandy, and Grand Marnier or orange liqueur. Apply these to your foods and beverage applications to create a unique and memorable flavor experience!
Applications for Blackberries
Blackberries can expand your line of products and broaden your clientele. Whether you use blackberries alone or blended with another flavor, they can create crowd-pleasing juices, cocktails, beer, smoothies, kombucha, milkshakes, and other beverages.
You can elevate the average brunch with blackberry syrups, pancakes, waffles, crepes, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, and jam. Desserts are an easy way to utilize their natural sweetness. Use it in muffins, scones, cheesecake, pies, cakes, tarts, and ice cream.
For businesses that specialize in more savory products, blackberries perform well in salad dressings, especially vinaigrettes. BBQ sauces, gastriques, and glazes can be made uniquely memorable with the added tartness.
For additional application ideas for blackberries and more, visit our website.
Request a Juice Sample Today!Ready to craft your next bestseller? Request free juice samples and order products by creating a free Northwest Naturals account. It is a quick and easy way to gain a team of specialists ready to support all your flavor needs. Get started on your blackberry crowd-pleaser, and request a free sample today!