North America’s freeze-dried fruits and vegetable market is projected to sprout by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 6.83%, while the fresh fruit market is set to grow at roughly 6.79% by 2028. But if you’re a supplier, purchaser, or importer, the difference between fresh and freeze-dried (in terms of reduced risk during transportation, storage, and distribution) is more than marginal. And that comes down to the amazing shelf life of bulk organic freeze-dried fruit.
Freeze-dried berries, the superfood with a hidden superpower
Berries have earned their place among the healthiest foods on the planet, boasting impressive nutritional profiles and a wealth of antioxidants. Blueberries combat oxidative stress, while raspberries support heart health. Strawberries offer vitamin C and fiber, açaí berries boast antioxidants and potential anti-inflammation effects, while cranberries prevent infections and reduce inflammation. But these superfoods also have a lesser-known superpower… the ability to stay fresh and tasty for up to one year after freeze-drying.
Hee-yuge shelf-life
Once the container is opened, freeze-dried berries remain shelf stable for anywhere from 6-12 months, which is berry impressive because not a single preservative or additive is used to keep them as flavorful and nutritionally packed as fresh berries. It’s just one of the reasons why freeze-dried berries are one of the coolest snacks on the market.
Boost the integrity of your brand and products
Whether your product path is long or short, knotty or straightforward, the advantages of freeze-dried include waste reduction, customer satisfaction, and a sweet reputation for consistent quality. In food supply chains where time never stops biting away at product integrity, berries defy the odds, ensuring that the intense berry flavonoids and aromatics sealed in shortly after harvesting are delivered to your customers.
Are freeze-dried berries healthy?
It’s a myth that berries are healthier (or tastier) just because they’re fresh. In fact, studies have found that the nutritional value of many frozen berries (especially the amounts of vitamins A and C and folates) is greater than fresh-stored produce, even without considering the effects of time.
As with any ingredient, not everyone enjoys the taste of freeze-dried berries, while others find the flavor even more intense than fresh. When it comes to flavor, you say tomatoh, and I say tomayto. However, the answer to whether freeze-dried berries are healthy is pretty cut and freeze-dried when seen through the lens of a food scientist, as we’ll do below.
Freezing vitamins and antioxidants into a time capsule
The reason berries are frozen at very low temperatures (-40 to -50 degrees Celsius) is to prevent ice crystals from forming and damaging the cell walls of the superfood. It’s how we keep almost all of the berries’ water-soluble compounds, such as flavonoids and aromatic compounds, from being lost in the preservation process.
Low-pressure drying
During freeze-drying, the pressure is lowered to about 25 millibars, causing the berries to go directly from a solid to a gas state. This gentle process preserves labile and photooxidative compounds, such as antioxidants. Sweet fact: The antioxidant activity of freeze-dried blueberries is pretty much equal to fresh fruits. The same goes for compounds like phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, and ascorbic acid, which help prevent inflammation, protect against heart issues, and lower the risk of cancers.
Aseptic packaging
Once the berries are freeze-dried, they are packaged in sterilized containers before the berries are added and packed in a sterile environment. This helps to protect the berries from contamination and further loss of nutrients.
Why are freeze-dried berries a hot property?
An all-around taste profile
Freeze-dried berries are used in all kinds of sweet and savory dishes. Small businesses and food retailers alike are adding them to yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, trail mix, and baked goods, such as muffins, cakes, and pies.
Sustainability is on everyone’s lips
Many environmentally conscious consumers are looking for products with ethical and sustainable sourcing practices; it’s why we’re so obsessed with the trust, transparency, and traceability of our supply chains here at Source86.
Amazing Shelf Life
In a hiking bag, the kitchen cupboard, the bakery, or the warehouse, frozen berries’ remarkable shelf life ensures intense taste and freshness whether you’re a freeze-dried berry fan who keeps a personal supply or a company crafting delicious food products on a larger scale.
Natural Flavor Enhancement
Freeze-dried berries are gaining traction in the food industry as a natural flavor enhancer, free from artificial additives. Freeze-dried strawberry powder is replacing guar gum, carrageenan, and xanthan gum as a natural stabilizer for ice cream. It’s so effective that frozen dairy desserts with freeze-dried strawberry powder maintain their shape even at room temperature, similar to ice cream made with whole milk.
Growing Snack Market.
Why are berries, not only a superfood but a super on-the-go snack option? High in fiber, high in vitamins, and high in antioxidants. Low fat. Low cal. Best of all, freeze-dried berries can stay fresh in your office drawer for almost a year.
Freeze-dried is berry good news for food supply chains
Good for farmers
Our love for fresh berries often leads to waste and spoilage due to over-harvesting. Frozen berries help farmers by allowing producers to freeze excess harvests, which maximizes their yields even when berries are out of season.
Good for the earth
The energy-efficient freeze-drying process consumes less energy than traditional preservation methods like freezing or canning, making freeze-dried berries healthier for the environment.
Good for your business
An amazing shelf life (without a single preservative) means berries can be transported and stored without the risk of spoiling before it reaches your customers, reducing lost profits.
Good for less attractive berries
Thousands of tons of fresh berries often go to waste simply because they don’t meet the cosmetic standards demanded by customers. In contrast, “ugly” freeze-dried berries can be used in hundreds of high-quality applications even if they’d never win a beauty contest.
We make private-label berry, berry uncomplicated
Whether you’re beginning a private-label adventure or growing your product range as a top retailer, we’re at our best when teaming up with you to buy wholesale ingredients worldwide from reliable and thoroughly vetted sources.
Where to buy freeze-dried berries? Are you looking to make freeze-dried berries an MVP of your brand’s growth this year? We’re about teamwork and sustainable partnerships, so feel free to connect with Emi, Fran, or Eran. While you’re at it, browse our catalog. And if what you’re after isn’t there, remember that we specialize in sourcing any ingredient you need, cutting out unnecessary middlemen, and offering complete transparency into the journey of your products.
