Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that’s not listed here?
California Giant Berry Farms is our company and brand name, but we are an international company that partners with growers beyond the California border to provide you with a year-round supply of delicious, in-season strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. If you want to know where your berries were grown, trace them back to the field using the 16-digit code on the bottom of your clamshell.
No – once harvested, berries do not continue to ripen. California Giant Berry Farms berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) are hand-picked at peak ripeness, to ensure that only the berry best makes it to your table.
Berries are one of the most delicious and nutritious fruits. In fact, research shows that the darker the berry; the better they are for you! All of our berries provide vitamins, minerals and antioxidants while serving as a fat free, low calorie everyday snack for the whole family. For the nutrient attributes for a specific berry type, please visit our Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries pages.
As one of the nation’s largest strawberry companies, California Giant has built a reputation on consistency, excellent quality and customer satisfaction. However, there are factors beyond our control that can affect flavor and shelf life. If our growing areas experience poor weather conditions, shelf life can be shortened for a time period until normal weather patterns return. As a rule of thumb, berries should be consumed within the following listed days from purchase:
Strawberries – 3-5 days
Blueberries – 7-10 days
Raspberries – 1-3 days
Blackberries – 1-3 days
Please visit the California Strawberry Commission for even more strawberry recipes and the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council for more fresh blueberry recipes.
California Giant Berry Farms offers both organic and conventionally grown berries. Our organic growers handling and growing practices are certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program. Look for our green label certified organic berries at your local grocer.
California Giant provides an all-season supply of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Because we partner with growers across the globe, we’re able to deliver fresh, delicious berries that are always in season! Learn more about our growing regions and all-season berries below:
California Giant growers control pest damage by working with nature first. Growers rely on natural pest enemies, pest resistant varieties, pest monitoring, cultural practices and other methods to minimize the need for pesticides. Working closely with world-class scientists, growers use models of pest and disease life cycles to determine the best times for applications, so pesticides or insecticides are used only when necessary to protect the survival of the plants.
We encourage you to visit safefruitsandveggies.com to get more information on pesticide use, exposure and potential risk. We also suggest you review the calculator on that site to determine real risk for adults and children.
California Giant does not use genetically modified organisms (GMOs). California Giant relies on traditional breeding methods used by world-class breeders in developing the most flavorful and highest quality fruit available in each of our growing districts. For our customers, this means continued enhancement of our berries’ flavor, size, condition and color.
Never. Our berries are sweetened naturally by the sun. Once fully ripened, they are placed into their packaging directly from the field and shipped to your store.
California Giant Berry Farms is a leader in health and food safety. We continually strive to move beyond the industry standards and work with outside audit companies, such as Primus Laboratories, that perform third-party verifications of our farming methods, including worker hygiene and safety. We have a full-time food safety manager on staff who monitors our field and facilities daily. Learn more about our commitment to food safety here.
California Giant Berry Farms does not use Apeel or any wax-based preservatives on any of our conventional or organic strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries.
Like you, we are concerned about the environment and are actively doing our part to preserve resources. To be as environmentally friendly as possible, we invest in recycled materials whenever possible. We use fully recyclable corrugated shipping boxes for our berries, utilize recyclable pallets exclusively and package our berries in clamshells made of post-consumer recycled plastic. While all of our berry containers are #1 RPET plastic, we recommend you check with your local recycling center for best ways to recycle these containers in your area.
California Giant Berry Farms is actively working with our suppliers to reduce the amount of plastic required to make each clamshell. We’re proud to partner with Berry Sustainable, alongside other industry leaders to further reduce the produce industry’s environmental impact.
All of our berry containers are #1 RPET plastic, we recommend you check with your local recycling center for best ways to recycle these containers in your area. Due to the fragility and sensitive nature of our delicate fresh berries, RPET plastic continues to prove best for the shelf life and quality of the berries. This also results in less food waste. However, we are glad to provide our trade customers (grocery stores) with corrugated packaging upon request. If this is something you would like to see carried in your store, we encourage you to share that request with your local produce manager.
We recommend thoroughly rinsing your berries just before eating them. Learn more about proper berry handling here:
For optimal freshness and prolonged shelf life, store your berries in their original containers. Berries should be kept in a cool and dry refrigerated environment and are best enjoyed within a few days after purchase.
Learn more about storing berries here:
Rinse and pat berries dry and place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 24 hours before placing them in a freezer-safe container. This will ensure that the berries endure the least amount of damage and stay in their original form, without clumping together. For more information on how to freeze berries by type, please visit:
Enter the trace back code from your berries to learn about where they were grown. Too bad we can’t deliver the fresh fragrance, too!