Haskap visited the event in Berlin for the first time ever and plan on visiting it for a second time this year. Plans are already underway for the company to have their own stand in 2018.
"We just think that it is very important to let traders know that we exist and generate interest, so that we can start working together in the next 1 to 2 years and make some new agreements. Last year was the first time we visited the show and we met some people who had never heard about the berry, but everyone we spoke to showed a lot of interest. Traders are always on the lookout for a new fruit that the competition doesn't have. This is to our advantage and I think that this will help stimulate growth in our business." shared Janja Postružnik from Haskap.
Janja, together with Zoran Petrovic, discovered the haskap/blue honeysuckle online back in 2012 and, after working with various institutes and running analysis on world trends, especially for superfoods, the pair made the decision to establish the private trading company carrying the berry's name. The pair saw great opportunities in the unusual berries, and after learning about the health benefits and the fact that the fresh berries were not available anywhere in Europe, except in plant form, they felt that there were great opportunities to be taken. Janja said that 'the great reward of the haskap is how delicious (and nutritious) they are'.
Contact was made with Dr. Bob Bors from the University of Saskatchewan, in Canada, renowned for his work with the berries. He is the Project Leader of the Domestic Fruit Program and Assistant Professor for the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan.
Bob developed Haskap plants to produce an edible fresh version of the berry using in-vitro from a mother plant, because up until then, the berries had to be processed before being consumed. The new strains combine the most desired features - large, dessert, sweet-and-sour fruits, without the trace of gentian, resistant to drought, longevity, resistance to frost, and earliness.
"With the help of Bob, we were able to offer special varieties with a high sugar content, like Aurora, Borealis, Tundra and Indigo game. Poland does have some of its own varieties, being the only others in Europe with haskap, but, in my opinion, the flavour is not as good. The berries aren't just a relatively unknown berry here in Europe, they are still not very well known in the US and Canada, with very few producers." said Janja.
Surprisingly, the haskap/blue honeysuckle isn't a strain of blueberries or from the same family as any other berries on the market. It is actually more closely related to the tomato family. However, due to their appearance, they have been given the berry title so that people can better relate to them and know what to expect.
Haskap Ltd. continues to expand its growing area. Starting back in 2014 with 1 hectare, then 15 hectares in 2015 and 32 hectares in 2016, they are now planning to reach between 35 to 40 hectares this year. They plan on continuing their growth and have aspirations to get to the point where they can start to enter large agreements with retailers by 2019. The orchards are tended by their contractors - Slovenian and Croatian farmers. The berries are not grown in the open ground and are organic certified.
"The berries have a long shelf life of two weeks, which we believe would make them very appealing for retailers. The berries, in their fresh state, are good for consumption, as well as any type of processing: for pies, ice-cream, yoghurts, compotes, juices, honey and wines." said Janja.
The haskap plants produce a firm-skinned berry that is easily handled for storage. They also are harvested earlier than most summer fruits, which in Slovenia takes place in the second week of May/first week of June; 30 days earlier than other seasonal fruits in Europe. The ability to be the first on the market, even before the strawberries, gives us a competitive edge and I believe is a good selling point."
For more information:
Janja Postružnik
Haskap, d.o.o.
Tel: +386 70 135 988
Email: haskap.doo@gmail.com