It was supposed to be a sideline enterprise. Plant a few acres of saskatoons, nurture them to maturity and then put up U-pick signs inviting people to pick the berries when they ripened each summer.
There was only one hitch: John and Kim Ritz, the people who planted this saskatoon berry patch, had more than just fertile soil. They also had fertile imaginations and from that sprang all kinds of ideas about ways to market the fruit.
These were not modest ideas. They were ideas that soon could introduce the flavour of saskatoon berries to consumers across the continent and around the world.
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“Things are moving along at a rapid pace,” said John, describing the collective effort of growers, buyers and brokers to gain an international market niche for saskatoons. “Now is not the time to relax, for sure.”
The Ritzes own Prairie Lane Saskatoons at Petersfield, Man. They manage their own orchard and also buy, process and market saskatoons from other prairie producers. They recently helped stage a gathering July 22 of buyers and brokers from the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as government dignitaries and growers from across the Prairies.
The purpose was to impress upon prospective buyers that the Prairies can grow enough saskatoons to meet significant demand. The gathering also was intended to illustrate to growers that there are large international markets eager to give consumers a new fruit flavour in products that can range from beverages to pastries.
“It’s the chicken and egg thing,” said John, describing the delicate effort to promote saskatoon production while at the same time ensuring there will be markets for that fruit.
Buyers and brokers from as far away as the U.K. have come on board to help build markets that could earn saskatoons the consumer recognition enjoyed by small fruits like cranberries and cherries.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for a new berry. It’s a wonderful opportunity for a new fruit in the industry,” said Jim McKee, national accounts sales manager for J.O. Sims, the leading fruit importer in the U.K.
Kestrel Foods of Ireland already has put in an order for dried saskatoon berries for both the ingredient and confectionery market.
Another company, one of the dominant fruit juice makers in the U.K., is interested in making a saskatoon blend, McKee said.
He attended the gathering at Prairie Lane in July, which he said added to his confidence that prairie growers can produce the stable supply of saskatoons needed year-round by his company if it is to continue building demand in the U.K. Based on the demand he anticipates there, he foresees opportunity to expand saskatoon production considerably over the next few years.
Tony Hodgson, owner of Professional Ingredient Marketing in Toronto, is equally convinced that saskatoons can win broad appeal in North America. His firm is marketing saskatoon products such as pie fillings to potential customers based primarily in Eastern Canada. Interest is keen, he said, noting that saskatoons meet the criteria needed to pique consumer interest.
“Does it look good? Does it taste good? Is it good for you at a reasonable cost? The saskatoon berry falls into all those categories.”
Hodgson is a prominent broker in Canada for fruit, nut and specialty citrus products destined for the bakery and service industries.
An estimated 1.4 million kilograms of saskatoons will be produced in Canada this year. Most of that production is on the Prairies.
John Ritz said about a third of the total will be consumed through the U-pick market. The rest of the berries are destined for other uses such as processing into pie fillings, pastry toppings and fruit drinks.
The Ritzes have travelled to England, France and New York to promote the saskatoon in their bid to capture international interest for the berry. The trips were not cheap, each costing at least $25,000 for things like travel, accommodation and booth space. However, they were an investment that now is starting to pay dividends.
