5 Things You Didn’t Know About Canadian Wild Blueberries

It’s no surprise that wild blueberries have a big following. They are a versatile little super fruit, heavily packed with nutrients, vitamins and fibre. But there is more to the wild blueberry than meets the eye. Here are 5 fun facts that you may not have already known!

1. Finding fresh wild blueberries is tricky and can only be done during a short growing season.

Wild blueberries are not known for their fresh shelf life. In fact, the vast majority of wild blueberries are actually frozen using a special method called Individually Quick Frozen. The berries are collected and then frozen within 24 hours of being harvested. This method of freezing them individually ensures that they retain their superfruit qualities and provide the same intense nutrition that they would if they were fresh!

2. Canadian wild blueberries are sold around the world.

It’s true! Canadian wild blueberries can be found in products and in freezers around the world! In fact, Canada alone produces over 300 million pounds of wild blueberries a year, with a good majority of those berries being exported.

3. Canadian wild blueberries come in all kinds of forms.

While many people love to eat wild blueberries straight from the branches, people have transformed the wild blueberry into different forms for all kinds of uses. Among these include pure wild blueberry juices, syrups, powders, dried (both chewy and crunchy), freeze dried, and more!

4. Wild blueberries and cultivated blueberries are different!

The saying “an apple is an apple” is not true – either in the case of apples OR in the case of blueberries! While all blueberries are good for you, wild blueberries are known to have a more intense flavour profile, and are higher in anthocyanins and antioxidants than their highbush cousins. The other main difference between the two blueberry families is the way that they are grown. Cultivated blueberries are grown on bushes that can grow incredibly tall, and are planted by producers. Wild blueberries, or low bush blueberries, are grown on bushes that are no higher than your knee, and sprawl along the ground. These grow in the wild, and aren’t planted by producers.

5. The wild blueberry has a dedicated following of consumers.

We aren’t kidding when we say people love their wild blueberries. In Canada alone, there are at least 5 different festivals that are dedicated to the Canadian wild blueberry! We love that so many people love wild blueberries, because we do too! If you’re interested in participating in one of the wild blueberry festivals in Canada, take a peek at this post all about it!