The goldenberry is slowly becoming a staple of Ecuador’s fruit industry, with a strong year-round supply. It is a naturally occurring crop in most of the Andes region,
Golden Sweet Spirit, reports the U.S. has become the main destination fresh goldenberries, as consumption trends continue to lean towards more health-conscious food choices. Golden Sweet Spirit also exports to Canada, with less volume going to Germany, Holland, Spain and England.
The company exports goldenberries fresh, dried and in jam form.
With a high antioxidant content, goldenberries are particularly popular in breakfast recipes and preparations.
Ecuador’s rich soil, cheap water sources and sunny climate, with at least 12 hours of sun a day, makes up for a big competitive advantage.
Ecuadorian goldenberries are grown and harvested the 52 weeks of the year.
For Golden Sweet Spirit, current consumer price for 3.5 ounces of goldenberries averages at 4 to 6 dollars. The product can be found in select Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Costco stores, among other popular grocery shops.
As for growing areas, the company currently has 247 acres for production and is working to increase that number tenfold by 2028, as it hopes to attract foreign capital in the coming years.
The company exports around 500 tons to the U.S., which represents approximately 80% of the production and covers less than 0.06% of the U.S. demand for berries, according to statistics, Gold Seet Spirit reports.
However, not many producing countries have the advantages that Ecuador has when it comes to this fruit, as the country is the biological center of origin for goldenberries.
The product was mistakenly named physallis peruviana, in reference to Peru. But its true origin is in Ecuador, where there are currently 36 different types of goldenberry being produced.