What is a boysenberry?

Having just finished another boysenberry season that has produced a superb crop and with giving availability of fresh boysenberries through the supermarkets we are frequently asked what exactly is a boysenberry and how did it get to be called this?

Boysenberry from a Sujon perspective is an incredibly important fruit as (John and Sue Gibb) started out as boysenberry growers and our CEO John Molyneux used to run Berryfruit export a major exporter of New Zealand grown Boysenberries.

Selling what has now grew to become the basis of our Nelson based frozen food company Sujon. Sujon now sells a wide range of berry types mostly New Zealand grown fruits but supplements supply with premium imported fruits also. Boysenberry is our passion. Our understanding of its origin of boysenberry was a “lucky find” a blackberry looking plant growing wild in a ditch in the Napa Valley of California. This was thought to be a cross of a loganberry and blackberry. And of course, the person who found this bush was Mr Boysen a local farmer with a breeding bent.

From there the plant ended up in the hands of a Mr Walter Knott who was so excited and enthusiastic with the new berry. It became an iconic berry of knotts berry farm which went on to become the famous theme park.

Anyway, back to NZ, the boysenberry was introduced in the 1930s now has been grown here ever since. In fact, today NZ boysenberries are widely known for their fantastic aromatic and floral berry flavour, a perfect match for any dish.

It is certainly a compatible fruit to eat with ice-cream and yoghurt. Even better as an ingredient to a smoothie for children.

Of course, we no longer grow boysenberries but we source this standout berry fruit from our favourite local nelson growers. These guys are determined as its not an easy fruit to grow well and a fruit that is loved by birds who always demand more than their fair share.

Other interesting snippets:

A Japanese colleague suggested it should be named the Xmas berry because of its importance in so many xmas meals.It is an incredibly healthy fruit and besides its anthocyanin benefits has a high level of folate naturally.Our favourite recipes can be found in our Sujon free recipe e-book

If you have here any questions about boysenberries or Sujon please contact us.

Thank you and best wishes for the new year.