Ingredient Intelligence Report · 2025
Blackberry Origins · Bioactive Science
Puree · Concentrate · Freeze-Dried Powder
Applications in Functional Food & Nutraceuticals
Years in blackberry industry
since 2006
Tonnes per year
processing capacity
Global export markets
EU · USA · APAC · AU
EverGreen Sustainability Hub is a Netherlands-registered sourcing and distribution platform operating at the intersection of European buyer demand and Asian ingredient supply. Based at the Venlo Fresh Park — a strategically positioned logistics hub in the Netherlands, directly adjacent to major EU distribution corridors — EverGreen provides European manufacturers, contract fillers, and functional food brands with direct, compliant access to verified Asian ingredient partners.
EverGreen's verified GreenFood partner for berry-derived ingredients is Bai Hui Food Group, with manufacturing operations conducted through its processing subsidiary, Jiangsu Huitian Technology Development Co., Ltd. This partnership gives European buyers a single point of contact in the EU with full traceability into one of China's largest integrated blackberry operations.
Three-pillar sustainability platform covering Green Food, Renewable Energy and Smart Living. Currently building a berry-focused B2B ingredient portfolio connecting European nutraceutical, functional food and beverage buyers with verified Asian supply chains.
Vertically integrated agricultural enterprise spanning cultivation, R&D, deep processing, cold-chain logistics and agri-tourism. Holds China's largest blackberry plantation base (8,200+ acres in production) and the Yizheng Blackberry National Geographic Indication Trademark. Processing subsidiary: Jiangsu Huitian Technology Development Co., Ltd.
Blackberries belong to the genus Rubus within the Rosaceae family, a large aggregate species complex comprising hundreds of micro-species collectively referred to as Rubus fruticosus agg. As a thorny perennial shrub native to temperate Europe, Western Asia, and North America, blackberries have been foraged as food and used in traditional medicine for millennia — with written references dating to ancient Greek and Roman botanical texts.
The fruit is not a true berry in the botanical sense, but an aggregate of small individual drupelets (10–40 per fruit), each containing a single seed. This drupelets structure is what gives the blackberry its distinctive appearance and, more importantly, its concentrated distribution of polyphenolic pigments — particularly anthocyanins — across the surface area of each drupelet.
Systematic commercial cultivation began in the 19th century in the United States, with significant breeding programmes in the 20th century producing thornless and semi-erect varieties suited to mechanised harvesting. China entered commercial blackberry production in the 1990s through technology transfer from the US, building rapidly on its agricultural scale advantage.
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Genus | Rubus |
| Species | R. fruticosus agg. |
| Common | Blackberry / 黑莓 |
| Fruit type | Aggregate drupe |
30+ varieties cultivated, including Hull, Triple Crown, Chester, Choctaw, Boysen, and the proprietary Huitia No.1 — jointly developed with the Jiangsu Institute of Botany (Chinese Academy of Sciences). Hull and Triple Crown account for the largest area at 3,000 acres each.
"Blackberries are among the most anthocyanin-dense small fruits commercially available, with their deep purple-black pigmentation encoding a rich array of bioactive polyphenols with well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties."
ScienceDirect · Antioxidant Assessment of an Anthocyanin-Enriched Blackberry ExtractBai Hui Food's Blackberry Industrial Park is situated in Yizheng City, Jiangsu Province — on the ecologically significant Latitude 30°N belt, which is globally recognised for producing premium soft fruits. The location offers a combination of four distinct seasons, adequate rainfall, loamy alluvial soils and access to Grade III+ quality water from a network of natural reservoirs covering over 300 acres within the park. These conditions closely parallel the temperate Atlantic climates where blackberries evolved, making Yizheng one of the world's optimal locations for commercial blackberry cultivation.
Over 8,200 acres currently in production with a long-term target of 15,000 acres. Berry farms extended across 5 provinces totalling approximately 50,000 acres at group level. Planned capacity would make this the world's largest single integrated blackberry operation.
From initial soil improvement through field management to final harvest, the entire process is organically managed. The blackberry plantation holds current Organic Product Certification (CQC, valid to June 2026, 10.94 ha certified) in compliance with GB/T19630-2019.
In-house Blackberry Research Institute established in 2021, operating in collaboration with the Jiangsu Institute of Botany (CAS) and Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Proprietary cultivar Huitia No.1 planted and propagated from February 2023.
The park operates on a 'company + farmers' model that integrates 352 local households across four villages, providing guaranteed minimum returns. This community-embedded approach ensures stable, traceable raw material supply — a key differentiator for European buyers requiring supply chain transparency and social sustainability credentials.
Infrastructure at the processing base spans 50 acres and includes a -40°C quick-freeze cold store, -20°C long-term refrigerated storage, and an IQF production line — enabling a farm-to-cold-chain cycle of under one hour from harvest to freezing.
Blackberries are nutritionally distinguished by their exceptionally high concentration of polyphenolic compounds, particularly anthocyanins, which are responsible both for the fruit's deep colour and for the majority of its documented health-promoting effects. Cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) is the dominant anthocyanin species, contributing to antioxidant capacity values that rank blackberries among the highest-scoring fruits on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale.
Source: Jiangsu Huitian Technology Development Co., Ltd. — Product Specification Sheet (NY/T 1884 Green Food Standard)
"The freeze-drying process is presented as the gold-standard technique for improving the stability of anthocyanins from fruits, enabling their incorporation as natural pigments or bioactive compounds in nutraceutical and high added-value functional food products."
ScienceDirect · Food Research International, 2019| Health area | Key mechanism / compound | Evidence status |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular health | Anthocyanins reduce LDL oxidation; ellagitannins support endothelial function | Multiple RCTs & cohort studies |
| Antioxidant / cellular protection | High ORAC value; C3G neutralises ROS; polyphenol synergy | Extensive in vitro & in vivo |
| Anti-inflammatory | Anthocyanins & ellagic acid inhibit COX enzymes; NF-κB modulation | Well-established animal & clinical |
| Visual / eye health | Anthocyanins support rhodopsin regeneration in retinal cells | Clinical & mechanistic evidence |
| Anti-cancer / anti-mutagenic | Ellagic acid & cyanidin-3-glucoside; cell cycle arrest in cancer lines | Preclinical & emerging clinical |
| Gut microbiome | Dietary fibre + polyphenols as prebiotic; promotes Lactobacillus growth | Growing clinical evidence 2023–25 |
| Skin health | Ellagic acid; antioxidant protection against UV-induced oxidative stress | In vitro; cosmeceutical interest |
| Blood glucose modulation | Chlorogenic acids & fibre; alpha-glucosidase inhibition | Emerging clinical |
Bai Hui Food Group / Jiangsu Huitian offers three primary blackberry ingredient formats for B2B supply into European functional food, beverage and nutraceutical manufacturers. All three formats are produced from organically certified fresh blackberries grown within the Yizheng GI origin zone, processed at the Huitia Technology facility under BRC and FSSC 22000 certified conditions.
Cold-pressed, no additives. 1L pouches or bulk drums. Organic certified (blackberry puree, 21.7 tonnes certified per cycle). Natural colour retention, high Brix specification. Suited to beverages, yoghurts, dairy, confectionery and juice formulations.
16-step cold-press process, zero additives, zero colorants, zero preservatives. Organic certified (blackberry juice, 15.5 tonnes certified per cycle). Non-reconstituted. Extremely high nutritional value, suitable for premium juice, NFC beverages, and supplement liquids.
Vacuum lyophilisation process. 100% blackberry pulp. Zero additives, zero preservatives, zero colourings. High anthocyanin retention. Available in 2.5g consumer sticks or 1kg bulk. Suits capsules, tablets, sachets, functional beverages, bakery and cosmeceuticals.
All three ingredient formats are derived from premium IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) blackberries processed at -35°C and -40°C. The IQF product itself is also commercially available (Yizheng GI certified, 200g retail or 10kg bulk), exported to Australia, the Americas and now Europe via EverGreen. The ability to offer both the raw IQF material and value-added processed formats gives EU manufacturers full formulation flexibility and supply chain confidence.
"Premium blackberries are selected, cleaned, vacuum freeze-dried and ground into powder. This process maximally retains the blackberry's own nutritional components, with minimal nutrient loss and high rehydration capability."
Bai Hui Food Group — Product DocumentationFreeze-drying is a low-temperature dehydration process in which the product is first frozen, then subjected to a high vacuum that causes the ice to sublimate directly from solid to vapour, bypassing the liquid phase. This preserves the cellular structure, colour, aroma, and — critically — the bioactive compounds (anthocyanins, polyphenols) far more effectively than hot-air drying, spray-drying or other conventional dehydration methods.
Anthocyanins are inherently unstable molecules sensitive to heat, light, oxygen and pH fluctuations. Research published in Food Research International (2019) confirms that freeze-drying significantly outperforms spray-drying in anthocyanin retention, powder solubility and rehydration behaviour. Studies show that compared to fresh fruit, freeze-dried blackberry powder retains upwards of 85–92% of initial anthocyanin content, versus 40–60% typical for spray-dried equivalents and as little as 15–30% for hot-air dried material. This makes freeze-dried blackberry powder uniquely suited to supplement and functional food applications where label claims around polyphenol content require ingredient consistency.
| Parameter | Specification | Test Method |
|---|---|---|
| Product name | Blackberry Freeze-Dried Powder (黑莓冻干粉) | — |
| Ingredient | 100% blackberry pulp — no additives, preservatives or colorants | — |
| Product standard | NY/T 1884 Green Food – Fruit & Vegetable Powder | — |
| Moisture content | ≤ 6% (g/100g) | GB 5009.3 |
| Total colony count | ≤ 10,000 CFU/g | GB 4789.2 |
| Coliform group | ≤ 3.0 MPN/g | GB 4789.3 |
| Yeast & mould | ≤ 50 CFU/g | GB 4789.15 |
| Salmonella | Absent / 25g (n=5, c=0) | GB 4789.4 |
| Heavy metals (Pb) | ≤ 0.5 mg/kg | GB 5009.12 |
| SO₂ residue | ≤ 50 mg/kg | GB 5009.34 |
| Colour & texture | Deep purple, uniform; loose powder; no visible impurities | Sensory |
| Reconstitution | Disperses evenly without clumping; high rehydration capability | Sensory |
| Shelf life | 24 months at room temperature, cool and dry, away from direct sunlight | — |
| Consumer pack | 2.5g glass vials × 30 (75g per box); 22 × 54mm vial | — |
| B2B bulk format | 1kg sealed bags; custom particle size & Brix on request | — |
| MOQ (bulk) | 100kg (negotiable) | — |
| Production license | SC10632108101005 | — |
| Property | Freeze-dried powder | Spray-dried powder | Hot-air dried | IQF frozen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthocyanin retention | 85–92% | 40–60% | 15–30% | ~90% |
| Colour quality | Deep natural purple | Moderate degradation | Significant browning | Excellent |
| Rehydration | Excellent | Good | Poor | N/A |
| Application versatility | Capsule, tablet, sachet, beverage, bakery, cosmetic | Beverage, bakery | Snack, culinary | Beverage, food service |
| Additive-free possible | Yes — 100% fruit | Carriers usually required | Yes | Yes |
| Concentration factor | ~8–10× fresh fruit | ~6–8× | ~5–7× | ~1× |
| Shelf life | 24 months ambient | 18–24 months | 12–18 months | 18–24 months frozen |
| Cold chain needed | No | No | No | Yes (-18°C) |
Blackberry freeze-dried powder is one of the most versatile berry-derived ingredients available to food manufacturers and supplement formulators. Its combination of clean label status (100% fruit, no carriers or additives), concentrated bioactive profile, excellent dispersibility and ambient stability makes it suitable across a remarkably wide range of product categories. Below are the primary application scenarios relevant to European OEM manufacturers, contract fillers and functional food brand developers.
The powder's high anthocyanin density and excellent flow properties make it an ideal fill material for hard-shell capsules (typically 300–600mg dosage) or a direct compression ingredient for tablets. Single-ingredient blackberry capsules can be positioned around antioxidant support, cardiovascular health, eye health, or anti-inflammatory claims. It can also be co-formulated with complementary ingredients such as bilberry, elderberry, or vitamin C to create berry-blend antioxidant complexes — a format with high demand in the German, Dutch and UK markets.
Excellent dispersibility makes freeze-dried blackberry powder ideal for instant drink sachets (e.g. 3–5g per serving), functional RTD beverages, smoothie shot formulations, and sport/wellness drink powders. The naturally deep purple pigmentation provides consumer-appealing colour without synthetic colorants — highly relevant for EU clean-label and natural colour regulatory requirements. Positioned around antioxidant recovery, skin health or immune support.
As a clean-label natural colorant and flavourant, freeze-dried blackberry powder can be incorporated into functional bars, granola, muesli, biscuits and cakes at 1–3% inclusion rates. In dairy applications (yoghurt, ice cream, protein drinks), it provides natural colour, genuine fruit flavour and bioactive content simultaneously — eliminating the need for separate flavour or colour additives. The low-moisture powder format integrates easily into dry mix operations without cold-chain complexity.
The ellagic acid and anthocyanin content of blackberry extract is attracting growing interest in cosmeceutical formulations for anti-ageing and skin brightening applications. Ellagic acid specifically is a known inhibitor of tyrosinase (the enzyme controlling melanin synthesis) and a scavenger of UV-induced reactive oxygen species. Freeze-dried powder can be used as an actives carrier in topical serums, masks or ingestible beauty supplements, positioning the ingredient at the intersection of nutrition and skin science.
For contract manufacturers and brand owners requiring bespoke ingredient specifications, Jiangsu Huitian's in-house R&D capability — supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences — enables custom Brix targets, particle size specifications, anthocyanin standardisation, and tailored packaging formats. Freeze-drying and packaging services for European brands' own-label products (OEM) are available from MOQ 100kg.
The deep, stable purple-black pigmentation of blackberry freeze-dried powder positions it as a clean-label alternative to synthetic food dyes (notably E133 Brilliant Blue and E122 Carmoisine) in EU reformulation projects. Applicable in confectionery (gummies, jellies, hard candy), beverages (isotonic drinks, flavoured waters), dairy and bakery. The natural colour combined with genuine fruit flavour provides dual functional value — taste and colour from a single clean-label ingredient.
The Europe nutraceuticals market was valued at USD 104.77 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 204.38 billion by 2035 (CAGR 6.91%). The European dietary supplements market reached USD 7.98 billion in 2024 and is growing at 8.09% annually. Europe's herbal supplement market is growing at 5.2% annually, reaching USD 7.5 billion in 2023.
Meanwhile, the European immune-boosting supplement market was valued at USD 15.0 billion in 2024 with 6.2% annual growth projected — precisely the segment where berry-derived antioxidants, including blackberry, have a natural positioning advantage. The Netherlands, Germany, UK, France and Italy are the key opportunity markets, driven by a well-documented consumer shift toward natural, clean-label, plant-derived supplement ingredients.
Blackberry remains an underexploited ingredient in European functional food relative to blueberry, elderberry and açai — representing a genuine white space opportunity for OEM manufacturers and brand developers seeking differentiated, scientifically credible, traceable berry ingredients.
Jiangsu Huitian Technology Development Co., Ltd. holds a complete stack of internationally recognised food safety, quality management and organic certifications applicable to its blackberry-derived ingredient range. All certifications have been issued or renewed in 2025, ensuring current validity for European buyer due diligence and supplier qualification processes.
Product R&D → product design → raw material acceptance → rigorous in-process control → product protection → final product inspection. Each checkpoint is documented and traceable to individual farm plot.
Applied laboratory, fermentation laboratory, sample retention room, physico-chemical laboratory, and microbiology testing laboratory — all operating under FSSC 22000 scope.
The BRC certification at Grade B covers: pressing/pulping and quick freezing of frozen fruits and frozen fruit purees packed in PA/PE or PE bags; pulping, freeze-drying and crushing of dried fruit products (fruit powder) packed in glass bottles; pulping, blending, filling and water bath sterilisation of jam; blending, filling and water bath sterilisation of original fruit juice (non-reconstituted); blending and UHT sterilisation of fruit and vegetable juice drinks packed in PP bottles. This scope fully encompasses the blackberry freeze-dried powder, puree and juice products offered to European buyers.
EU brands and manufacturers source IQF frozen blackberries, purees, juices and freeze-dried powders directly via EverGreen. Handled through EU-registered entity in Venlo with full import documentation support.
Custom specifications — Brix level, particle size, anthocyanin standardisation, packaging format. CAS and Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences supported R&D capability. MOQ 100kg for bulk.
Future access via EverGreen's digital green food marketplace for streamlined cross-border procurement, enabling efficient repeat ordering, digital documentation and supply chain tracking.
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