Food | In Finland, white pineapple strawberries are regarded with curiosity: “It's just a joke”

Finns are used to eating their strawberries glowing red. Sometimes during the winter, maybe also during the Kalvaka elections.

Now, however, the situation may be changing. Almost snow-white strawberries have arrived in the shops.

HS reported on Friday, how a white strawberry has been developed in the USA, which is now sold in Finland in some S group stores. It is the Florida Pearl variety, developed in Florida, with a pineapple aroma. Another name for it is pineapple strawberry.

White Florida Pearl strawberries came to S stores for the first time last spring. They were so well received that white boxes have been seen in stores this winter as well.

Any white strawberries are not a new thing. Research professor at the Natural Resources Center Saila Karhu says that white-berry garden strawberry varieties have been developed for years, especially in Japan. There are already more than 50 white varieties.

Karhu also reminds that seedlings of, for example, the German Snow White variety with white berries have been on sale in Finland, and white-berry forms are also known from Ahoman pig.

According to Karhu, the white berry can contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants and are good for human health.

In the past, however, white strawberries have not been very popular in Finland. White strawberries were already in the news more than ten years agobut at that time it was thought that they will not become common commercially, but that it is a pure hobbyist plant.

However, now seems to be a more favorable time for the white strawberry to come forward.

What do Finnish berry growers think of white-cheeked berries? Is white now the new black in berry growing? Will the term “strawberry red” soon become history?

Hardly. At least for now, it seems that domestic strawberry production firmly recognizes the red color.

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“After all, that white is a total joke.”

A round of calls to strawberry growers in Suonenjoki, Halikko and Kauvatsa shows that white strawberries are more of a curiosity and not very well known.

However, they are treated with cautious curiosity everywhere.

And there is one farmer on the call round who has tested white strawberries.

“We have tested the white one, but the consumers didn't immediately feel like they had to have it. Rather, so that it had to be obtained once. It would seem that the Finns are after red and white represents a raw strawberry for many”, says the Ranniko turda from Halikko Esa Rannikko tells.

“After all, the white one is a piece of cake, but the market should be more attractive.”

Suonenjoki chairman of the region's berry growers' association Raisa Haavikko says that he has not come across domestic white strawberries. As an idea, it is interesting to him.

“I could imagine that some farmer somewhere will try it. Especially if it seems that consumers are interested in a slightly more special strawberry variety.”

He says he is even a little surprised to learn that white strawberries have now attracted consumers.

Haavikko compares imported white strawberries to strawberries cultivated in late autumn in Finland. Today, strawberries are grown in Finland as long as the weather lasts. However, the berries do not turn as bright red in late autumn as they do in the summer sun.

“Sometimes I've heard that late autumn berries haven't interested consumers that much. But the berries of the end of the season do have a really good taste.”

Metsäpellot strawberries entrepreneur Pauliina Kovanen Suonenjoelta says that he came across white berries at fairs in Europe and Singapore. According to him, at the fair, you can see many kinds of strawberries, many of which are, for example, pink.

Kovanen ponders that the farming of the whites could very well be tried. However, domestic white strawberries are unlikely to be on sale very soon.

“Next summer's seedlings have certainly already been ordered. I don't know how quickly seedlings would be available.”

Jarmo Röppänen Marja-Suomen Taimitutoatonto says that she has seen a similar special variety at a Dutch strawberry grower.

However, he does not believe in the conquest of Finland by the white strawberry, at least not yet. Röppänen takes the white raspberry varieties that are already cultivated in Finland as a point of comparison: they have not really tasted good to the Finns.

“In general, white varieties have a milder berry aroma, so no important cultivated varieties have been born from them. Our long day adds aroma to the traditional Finnish red strawberry.”

Expert Tomi Pousi The association of fruit and berry growers confirms that there has not been much discussion about white strawberries in professional circles in Finland.

Florida Pearl is grown in Spain, where the conditions are very different from Finland.

“Probably, berries could be grown in some greenhouse and tunnel conditions in Finland. But in appearance it is so special that there may not be a market, and cultivation is not very profitable.”

According to Pous, for Finns, a pale berry is easily associated with a raw berry.

“It's a big challenge. The association, farmers and stores should do a lot of marketing work and invest in order for the consumer to change their perception.”

Pousi does not believe that the white strawberry will be cultivated in Finland, at least not in a very fast time frame. However, he is positive about the fact that there will be more strawberry varieties on offer.

“Farmers do listen carefully to what consumers say. If they say that the strawberries must be a certain color, then they will definitely react.”

Esa Rannikko agrees. He reminds us that we never know when the sled will turn even in strawberry farming. The farmer must be open to the new.

“You have to search all the time, where is the line of the future. A breakthrough can come in a blue strawberry, for example. You can't prejudicially stop.”