April 2021
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FOODSERVICE EDITION

Make your menu pop with
COLORFUL, FRESH BERRIES.

California Giant Berry Farms delivers the best berry experience for the foodservice industry by providing an all-season supply of sustainably grown strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries that represent the highest standards for quality, consistency and smiles.

CULINARY CALENDAR

Unleash your culinary creativity with the versatility of fresh berries.

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate!

April

22
Earth Day
Recipe

28
Blueberry Pie Day
Recipe

May

National Strawberry Month
Recipe

26
Blueberry Cheesecake Day
Recipe

June

14
Strawberry Shortcake Day
Recipe

21
Blueberry Smoothie Day
Recipe

July

National Blueberry Month
Recipe

11
Blueberry Muffin Day
Recipe

CHEF’S CORNER

grilled salmon, strawberry, shishito and shallot salad, heirloom carrots recipe
Strawberry, Shishito and Shallot Salad with White Balsamic and Agave Nectar
Chef Sam Blackburn

Chef Sam Blackburn
Sodexo
2020 Chef Invitational Winner

“The beauty of the berry lies within the endless possibilities of flavor pairings for each individual berry type. I love eating blueberries by the handful, but I also love taking the time to think about different applications and how they would complement other ingredients, such as blueberries + balsamic + chicken! Each berry presents a world of opportunities and menu applications. When I bite into a California Giant strawberry, I’m immediately transported out to the field where it was picked, and my flavor pairing thought process begins…I like to think about how I can incorporate spicy, savory, sour and salty components to transform the already delicious berries into something even more exciting and beautiful!”

Chef Travis Peters

Chef Travis Peters
Chef/Owner, The Parish Gastropub
2019 Chef Invitational Winner

“My entire life was changed the day I picked and ate a strawberry straight off the plant at one of California Giant Berry Farms. I’ve never tasted a berry so delicious in my entire life, it was plump, juicy and was so sweet that I fell in love immediately!

As a professional chef, berries are one of my favorite ingredients to work with because they are so versatile and can be used in just about anything you can think of: savory, sweet and everything in between! I use them for pickling, making hot sauces, alcohol infusions, brining proteins, pies, barbecue sauces, fresh salad components, salad dressings and more! California Giant Berry Farms is an amazing company filled with incredible people who work very closely with talented farmers. In my professional opinion, there is no better berry on the market which is why I use them exclusively at all of my restaurants!

Berries are so versatile and easy to work with, I suggest adding them to some of your favorite recipes and see what you come up with, berries are only limited by one’s imagination!” 

Blueberry sweet tea brined quail with raspberry barbecue sauce, black and blueberry hot sauce tossed brussels sprouts, strawberry oil and fresh cilantro. Sweet blueberry brine.
Blueberry Sweet Tea Quail in Black and Blue Hot Sauce
Strawberry, Pepperberry Goat Cheese & Prosciutto Bites
Chef Christian Kearns

Chef Luis Reyes, CEC
Sysco
2018 Chef Invitational Winner

“Berries as a category are first thought as garnish for desserts, or maybe as an ingredient for a dessert. What is true now, is that berries are part of every segment of foodservice, from breakfast at a dinner, snack at a school cafeteria, to an ingredient for a sauce on an entree in a white tablecloth wine pairing dinner menu. Berries are a part of menus in all foodservice outlets these days. They can take a complete leading roll on a menu item or be perfectly fine as an addition to complement another fruit plate. In the last decade, berries have taken an important role in the foodservice industry, not only for their nutritional value, but for their ability to complement other ingredients in the bar, salads, apps and even entrée applications. Chefs are turning on to berries as ingredients to attract the interest of their customers and bring a different flavor profile to their dishes.”

Berry Storage and Handling Best Practices

High-quality, colorful, flavorful berries are always on our menu. California Giant Berry Farms delivers all-season smiles.

Unload all berries immediately into a cold room 32°F. Never allow a shipment to sit outside of a cold atmosphere.

Check for maturity, ripeness level, quantity, packaging, size, count, weight, and grade. Report any discrepancies immediately.

Store unwashed, in clamshells away from sources of moisture; moisture will cause rapid breakdown of the berry.

Don’t wash berries until ready to serve and use a gentle spray of cool water.

Don’t remove green caps from strawberries until after rinsing. This helps to retain flavor inside the berries.

PACK SIZES THAT FIT YOUR NEEDS

Strawberries
1 lb. • 2 lb. • 3 lb. • 4 lb.

Blueberries
6 oz. • Pint • 18 oz. • 24 oz. • 2 lb.

Raspberries
6 oz. • 12 oz.

Blackberries
6 oz. • 12 oz.

Sustainable packs available:

Ask your sales representative about our sustainable offerings

corrugate and cardboard box icon
SCS Certified logo
Bee Better Certified logo

Learn more about our year-round berry availability.

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