The story behind our Driscoll’s partnership
Colin Lyons, produce buyer, explains what sets our berries apart from the rest:
We are proud to be a local, family-owned business dedicated to creating sensational shopping experiences for our customers. In order to accomplish this, we work hard to align ourselves with only the best suppliers; those vendors that have the same commitment to quality and service that we have.
When it comes to berries, there is only one company that meets those standards day in and day out.
Driscoll’s has been family owned for more than 100 years. They are located in Watsonville, California, but have growing regions all over the U.S., Mexico and South America. Driscoll’s offers a year-round supply of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries in both conventional and organic. Their berries are packed with antioxidants, fiber and vitamins to keep your family nourished and healthy. Not only are their berries good for you, but they taste great too!
What sets Driscoll’s berries apart from the rest?
Let’s start at the beginning: Plant breeding and development. Driscoll’s uses age-old methods of plant breeding and natural hybridization to develop, grow, and test new varieties of berries for everything from flavor to shelf life. They have expansive test farms where they grow hundreds of proprietary varieties of berries, only to eventually decide on just one or two perfect berries to bring into full production.
It doesn’t stop there. Driscoll’s is also leading the industry in harvesting, packing, cooling and shipping techniques. Berries are often picked and on a truck to the Twin Cities area within the very same day. This translates into a better berry for you!
Our partnership
Driscoll’s dedication to flavor and berry quality is unmatched in the industry and is the reason we have developed such a powerful partnership with them. When companies with philosophies focused on delighting the consumer align, the outcome is magical.
Another benefit to our partnership is education. Driscoll’s is constantly asking us how they can improve in order to elevate the customer experience at our stores. Even more important is the educational opportunities our employees have with Driscoll’s. Each year we are able to send a group of our produce managers and buyers out to Driscoll’s to see firsthand what it takes to develop, grow, harvest and ship berries. With all of the knowledge gained from these trips, your produce manager is now a berry expert, able to field any questions you may have about berry usage and storage.
Tell us what you love about your Driscoll’s berries!