Buyers ‘clamouring’ for haskap berry products
Producer expects explosive growth
BRIDGEWATER — When LaHave Forests sent samples of its Lunenburg County haskap berry juice to some major manufacturers in the United States and Canada, the response was immediate and enthusiastic. "They wanted 30,000 litres of it yesterday to do testing," said company spokesman Liam Tayler. "They’re clamouring for it."
Unfortunately, LaHave Forests doesn’t have enough berries at the moment, though that will change early this summer when the plants bear their third and most bountiful crop of berries to date. "We haven’t got much supply but we’ve got huge demand," said managing director Logie Cassells. That’s why the company is rolling out the haskap berry in a systematic way, starting with markets in its own backyard.
"I think it’s nearly impossible to drive this new industry without letting Nova Scotians taste the berries or the juice," Cassells said. So, in keeping with the company’s philosophy of sustainable production, it is gradually rolling out haskap berry products through local companies. LaHave Forests is working with Lunenburg cranberry farm Terra Beata to produce dried berries and juice.
The company plans to bring a small run of 4,000 bottles of juice on the market late this summer and do a test run through organic, locally sourced eateries such as the Wooden Monkey in Halifax and Pete’s Frootique markets.
LaHave Forests is also working with Elmwood Winery, run by a retired Lunenburg County pathologist, to produce its first batch of haskap wine.
"He’s a very good winemaker," Cassells said of Bruce Wright.
The wine will be combined with locally grown grapes to make a blend. Next year’s batch will likely be pure haskap berry wine. This is all part of an effort to make Nova Scotia the haskap berry capital of the world.
"All our strategy is if we give berries, juice or whatever to creative people in Nova Scotia, they’ll come up with fantastic things," Cassells said.
The company has put two dozen plants in the ground at Pete Luckett’s Gaspereau Valley winery. Tangled Garden in Grand Pre created a blueberry-haskap liqueur last year and is making a pure haskap berry liqueur this year, as well as jellies and sauces. The Wooden Monkey developed a chili chutney, and the berries are on the menu at Chives in Halifax as well as at the Italian Market, which created a haskap berry cheesecake.
"The potential here is huge," said Tayler.
Read full article on thechroniclehrerald.ca
January 31, 2012
BEVERLEY WARE South Shore Bureau
The Chronicle Herald
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