A few intrepid businesspeople are introducing North Americans to Newfoundland and Labrador’s underrated trove of wild, and sometimes wildly unusual, berries. Partridgeberries, which are also known as lingonberries, are a northern species of scarlet-coloured fruit that grow close to the ground and are harvested in the late summer and fall months. Blueberries mature a little earlier in the summer and, because they grow in bunches, are easier to pick.

Creating a viable industry from this province’s wild berries, including local favourites such as bakeberries and marshberries, has proven more difficult than a casual observer might think. That’s because, in a competitive world in which cheap sources of raw material are readily available, marketing is the key to success. Unfortunately, this province is playing catch-up in marketing its berries, just as it is in other industries such as fish and tourism.

But desperation often brings out the best in people, and there are few areas in Canada as economically desperate as southern Labrador and the northern peninsula of Newfoundland. Closure of the commercial cod fishery almost two decades ago had wiped out the mainstay of this region, and for years afterward most young people abandoned their communities in favour of secure employment elsewhere.

But there are now reasons for hope, thanks in part to some wild berries and a more sophisticated attitude toward business. In the southern Labrador town of Forteau, population 500, Labrador Preserves Co. is becoming an industry leader in marketing berry products. Under its brand, Pure Labrador, Labrador Preserves now sells its jams and syrups to grocery chains throughout eastern Canada and has recently created a line of giftware as well as a cookbook.

Linking tourism with these products is an important element of Labrador Preserves’ strategy, and company president Stelman Flynn has successfully persuaded cruise lines to make southern Labrador a port of call for ships visiting Canada’s east coast.

Similarly, in the community of Griquet on the Northern Peninsula, wild berries and tourism are a strong combination. Dark Tickle Co. manufactures and sells numerous berry-related products, including chocolates, vinegars, teas and relishes. The company has emphasized international marketing, focusing on high-end customers. The company also features a visitor centre in Griquet that attracts thousands of people every year to this tiny, picturesque community of 700 people.

The provincial government is assisting cranberry growers in building their industry. In central Newfoundland, where the former Grand Falls paper mill closed two years ago, hopes are riding high that a viable cranberry industry can be created to provide long-term jobs. Indeed, the long-term future of many rural communities on the Rock may rest with entrepreneurs such as those in Forteau and Griquet who recognize the natural advantages that exist in their own backyards. IE