40 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT ViBERi T T Anne Boswell New facility to meet growing demand Constructed by Totalspan Timaru, the 600-square-metre building will enable the company to streamline its operations by bringing the harvest and processing operations into one facility. “We then discovered how amazing blackcurrants were for a range of health benefits, and that the whole industry was pushing for blackcurrants to be seen as a healthy natural product.” AIR CONDITIONING DAIRY FARM REFRIGERATION COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION & AIR CONDITIONING EXPERTS P: | Robbie: E: OFFICE@SOUTHWEST.CO.NZ WWW.SOUTHWEST.CO.NZ WE SERVICE SOUTH ISLAND WIDE The future of New Zealand’s premiere organic blackcurrant grower, ViBERi, is looking berrylicious indeed with the completion of a state-of-the-art processing facility. The 600-square-metre building, constructed by Totalspan Timaru, will enable the company to streamline its operations by bringing the harvest and processing operations into one facility, meeting increasing demand for its premium organic products in both domestic and international markets. ViBERi, a family-run business based in Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, was founded by Tony and Afsaneh Howey. Their journey into blackcurrant farming began in 2004 when they purchased a 72-hectare orchard, an addon to their large vegetable, grain and seed operation. “When we purchased the orchard, the markets for conventionally grown blackcurrants were depressed, with limited market options,” Tony says. “We then discovered how amazing blackcurrants were for a range of health benefits, and that the whole industry was pushing for blackcurrants to be seen as a healthy natural product. There was, and still is, a lot of effort to reduce chemical use so blackcurrants can not only be seen as healthy but also be free of chemical residues.” It was at this point that the Howeys decided to focus their effort into growing blackcurrants in a way that consumers could have complete confidence in the health and purity of the product - and the best way to achieve this was to convert the property to organic production. “Going certified organic wasn’t easy: the most challenging part has been the establishment of new plantings,” Tony says. “We’ve unsuccessfully tried using weed mat and mulch. Regular hand weeding works but is very problematic as the blackcurrant bushes push up new canes from below ground each year and the grass weeds in particular become almost impossible to hand weed, especially at scale. “We now establish new plantings conventionally, and when the plants get high enough to shade out the weed competition we convert the blocks to organic. It takes three years to achieve organic status once the conversion process starts, so we are in there for the long haul.” Today, ViBERi produces over 300 tonnes of blackcurrants annually. The company takes great care to preserve the berries’ nutritional integrity by freezing them on the day of harvest, ensuring the fruit retains its full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Some of the berries are processed into powder, chocolate covered blackcurrants, free flow frozen (IQF), puree, concentrate, soft dried and freeze dried blackcurrants. Even the residue skins and fibre (pomace) from the concentrate process is made into a high value extract for the nutraceutical industry. Previously ViBERi had been leasing space for processing, but Tony and Afsaneh decided that owning a dedicated facility allowed the company to control its operations more effectively and set the stage for further expansion, and where all 15 staff are based in one location. Blackcurrants are often hailed as a superfood, with research showing they have a positive impact on brain and eye health, sports nutrition and blood sugar regulation. They are particularly renowned for their high vitamin C content, contributing to healthy immune system function, iron absorption, growth and development, collagen formation and reduced tiredness and fatigue. “Afsaneh and I take ViBERi blackcurrants every day to get our antioxidant and vitamin C hit and, touch wood, we rarely get sick,” Tony says. The company’s success was acknowledged in 2022 when they won the Supreme Award at the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce Ara Business Excellence Awards, as well as the Global Exporter Award. With the new facility in place, ViBERi is poised to meet growing consumer demand for organic, nutrient-rich blackcurrant products. As a values-driven company, it remains focused on promoting health and well-being, for the betterment of the world - one berry at a time.
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