Roberts Berries are intended to make it easy to enjoy berries growing naturally in the northern regions. To make these products, we use wild bilberries, lingonberries and cloudberries hand-picked from the forest. We also use some cultivated Northern berries, such as carefully selected raspberries, blackcurrants, sea buckthorns, cranberries and strawberries. Some of these also grow in the wild but not in sufficient quantities for commercial purposes. We source these berries from Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, depending on availability. Of course, Poland isn’t actually part of the northern habitat, but sits right at its boundary. All the berries naturally contain plant compounds, like polyphenols. The northern conditions with long hours of summer sunlight are especially conducive to berry growth and polyphenol content. All the wild berries are picked from places where berries grow wild, in harmony with nature.
Roberts Berries are part of the Finnish plant-based diet, offering the typical nutritional components of berries as they occur in nature.
🫐 Wild bilberry – hand-picked velvet from shady forests
On the moss-laden slopes of northern coniferous forests, grows the wild bilberry – a berry that has never adapted to cultivation. It ripens only in the wild where its roots can absorb plenty of moisture as its colour and taste strengthen under the midnight sun. Wild bilberry pickers will tread long distances to secluded forests, picking berries as they go, taking care not to damage the delicate stems of the shrubs. Each berry is picked by hand or using a rake.
🍒 Lingonberry – gem of the rugged heath
On the dry and rugged northern heaths dotted with pine trees, ripens the lingonberry, strong and resilient enough to sustain the chilliest wind. Its flavour has a tangy bite not unlike the challenging conditions of its environment. Lingonberries are more widely available than other wild berries, but lingonberry picking is close work demanding perseverance. Often the best spots are way off the beaten path, so pickers have to wander far and defy the elements.
🍯 Cloudberry – unyielding treasure of the bog
The cloudberry is one of the rarest and most valued natural berries. It grows only in the stillness of open bogs where the terrain is wet, the weather unpredictable and the insects inevitable. The berries ripen slowly one by one as if cherishing their sweet lusciousness. Cloudberry picking demands patience, local knowledge and lots of time – not easy to find! Few people manage to discover a plentiful picking spot. So, every cloudberry in a pot of Berrie is like a small miracle.
