FARGO, ND (AUGUST 2023) This year, between 1.5 and 1.8 million pounds of aronia berries are expected to be harvested and serve as the most antioxidant-rich berry ingredient for meeting the needs of today’s consumers. These needs include supplements, projected to grow by a CAGR of 6.72% from 2022 to 2027,[1] and plant-based foods, projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.27% from 2021 to 2028.[2] Additionally, demand for both antioxidants and berries is rising. The antioxidant market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% between 2022 and 2031, and in 2022 berries had the most retail sales of all produce items.[3] The premium aronia berries with which manufacturers can meet these demands will be harvested and processed by American Aronia Accelerator (A3). A business network that oversees each stage of the aronia supply chain, A3 maximizes the berries’ nutritional value for food, beverage, supplement, and cosmetic manufacturers.
“This year’s aronia harvest will offer formulators important ingredients for making antioxidant-rich products that satisfy today’s customers,” said A3 CEO Blake Johnson. “Aronia berries offer a plethora of health benefits, and we are proud at A3 to cultivate and process them at their highest quality in multiple forms from whole berries, powders, and juices.”
A3’s aronia berries are among the berries with the highest Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) values, which quantify a food’s antioxidant capacity. Aronia berries have high levels of polyphenols,[4] which studies have shown improve arterial function.[5] Additionally, aronia berries modulate the gut microbiome,[6] which plays an important role in controlling digestion bolstering the immune system.[7] A3 ensures the aronia berries its producers cultivate retain their potent nutritional benefits by processing them on a reduced supply chain. Entirely located between the Dakotas and the Appalachian Mountains, A3’s U.S.-based supply chain enables it to exercise strict quality control over its berries before going to product manufacturers. A3 produces its aronia ingredients in the form of whole berries, powders, and juices, which and can be manufactured into a variety of products such as energy shots, gummies, and sports bars.
“A3 is proud to cultivate the most antioxidant-rich berry variety at its premium quality,” said Johnson. “As Americans are hungry for berries, antioxidants, and the health benefits that come with them, we look forward to our upcoming harvest providing the ingredients that will ultimately satisfy this demand.”
About American Aronia Accelerator (A3)
Started 2021 by natural industry veterans with years of bringing new ingredients to market, American Aronia Accelerator (A3) manages each stage of the supply chain for aronia berries. Its members include farmers, distributors, and ingredient formulators, producing in the highest aronia berries for use in new food products, beverages, and supplements. A3 ingredients are available in powder and juice and will soon be available in extracts. They are rigorously texted batch to batch for organoleptic properties, microbiological properties, microbiological controls, heavy metals, and polyphenol levels as applicable per ingredient. Pound for pound, Aronia berries contain more beneficial contents than any other berry available on the market such as Vitamin C, B1, B2, B6, K, and niacin, and minerals such as sodium, potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, and calcium.