Our boysenberry crop is harvested up to seven times over a one-month period, typically from mid-December to mid-January. All fruit is processed through a state-of-the-art packing complex that is independently audited to ensure the highest standards of quality and food safety.

Wai-West Horticulture grows approximately 15% of New Zealand’s total boysenberry crop. Around 30% of our fruit is sold to local manufacturers, with the remainder exported to markets around the world. Boysenberry is New Zealand’s most popular fruit ice cream flavour and is widely used in yoghurts, jams, beverages, pies, desserts, and confectionery. Its rich colour and unique flavour leave a lasting impression on all who enjoy this exceptional fruit.

Boysenberries were first discovered in California in the 1920s by Rudolph Boysen. Believed to be a hybrid of loganberry, blackberry, and Cuthbert raspberry, the fruit was further developed and popularised by Walter Knott in 1934. Mrs Knott began making preserves with the berries, ultimately helping to establish Knott’s Berry Farm as a household name and a global brand.

Boysenberries are sensitive to climate and therefore are not widely cultivated around the world. Today, the primary growing regions include parts of the U.S. West Coast, Chile, and New Zealand. Among these, Nelson has become the leading global producer, now growing more than half of the world’s boysenberries.

Nelson’s ideal growing conditions include cool winters, mild springs and autumns, dry summers, and around 2,500 hours of annual sunshine with approximately 1,000mm of rainfall. Its position at the top of the South Island shields it from prevailing westerly winds, and the young alluvial soils of the region support a wide range of high-value crops.

Boysenberries were first planted in Nelson in the 1960s, with a surge in plantings during the late 1970s and early 1980s by many small growers. Today, most of the region’s production is managed by a few large, experienced operators.

At Wai-West Horticulture, our boysenberries are grown with precision and care. Our dedicated berryfruit team monitors pest and disease pressures closely, and fertiliser and irrigation are applied only in response to plant needs. The fruit is packed and frozen either in block form, as individually quick frozen (IQF) berries, or processed into concentrate for a range of end uses.

Nelson remains the true home of boysenberries in New Zealand—and we’re proud to be part of its story.