Hippie Organics line delivers high-Brix Mexican fruit to U.S. shelves ahead of Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, with promotable volumes forecast through mid-June, according to the company
Alpine Fresh, the Miami-based grower, shipper and marketer, has begun shipping its first organic Sweet Karoline® blackberries from Mexico, opening a promotional window that the company expects to last until the middle of June for retailers and food-service buyers across North America.
The inaugural organic loads crossed the border last week, marking the start of a program that runs alongside Alpine Fresh’s established conventional season.
Marketed under the firm’s Hippie Organics label, the berries reach U.S. distribution centers with a naturally high Brix level that the company says outpaces other commercial blackberry varieties and delivers the “hard-to-stop-eating” sweetness that built the Sweet Karoline brand.
“We’re thrilled to see the first organic fruit hitting the market. Our growers have done a phenomenal job, and we’re expecting strong, promotable volumes as we head into the end of April just in time for Mother’s Day and Memorial Day promotions.”
Walter Yager, CEO of Alpine Fresh
Peak shipments are forecast for the entire month of May, offering retailers ample opportunity to build themed displays, run digital coupons or spotlight the line in holiday-recipe content.
The organic harvest will remain steady through mid-June, giving produce departments a dependable supply of premium blackberries well into early summer.
Alpine Fresh positions the variety as more than just another organic option.
Sweet Karoline’s breeding emphasizes flavor, berry firmness and resistance to “red cell,” characteristics intended to maintain quality through the long haul from Mexico’s high-elevation fields to U.S. store shelves.
The company notes that the organic berries share the same eating experience as their conventional counterparts, allowing merchandisers to promote a unified brand story across price tiers.
While the organic campaign is new this spring, the conventional Sweet Karoline season has been underway for several weeks.
That overlap, the company says, lets buyers mix and match pack styles or price points without switching SKUs during peak demand periods.
It also simplifies allocation planning for food-service operators who rely on consistent fruit specs when blackberries show up in desserts, beverages and fresh bars.
The Hippie Organics branding already used on Alpine Fresh asparagus, blueberries and other items gives the clamshells a retro, 1960s-inspired graphic treatment designed to pop on shelf sets dominated by dark berries.
Marketing materials include social-media assets, in-store signage and shipper-ready point-of-sale kits that focus on the variety’s flavor halo and organic credentials.
Seasonal timing plays a major role in the program’s launch strategy.
Mother’s Day (May 11) and the long Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26) historically drive berry consumption as consumers create breakfast platters, picnic desserts and red-white-and-blue fruit salads.
Alpine Fresh says it tailored its harvest curve to deliver promotable volumes precisely during those weeks, giving buyers confidence that advertised specials will be fully supported.
Beyond holiday lift, the company expects the berries’ elevated sugar content to build repeat sales.
Independent lab tests conducted during commercial trials have shown Sweet Karoline routinely topping the 10-degree Brix threshold, a metric that signals concentrated sweetness to category managers monitoring varietal performance.
Although Alpine Fresh did not disclose the per-acre yield targets for the organic blocks, its field team reports a crop in line with early projections.
