Harvesting, Processing & Marketing

Blue elderberries are typically harvested between mid-June and mid-September
When ripe, a dusty white bloom forms on the berries and can be harvested as the white bloom fades
Berries are removed from stems prior to processing, and destemming equipment exists at different scales
Elderberries contain many vitamins and high amounts of bioactive flavonoids, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids linked to antioxidant activity
Stems and green berries contain cyanogenic glycosides, a harmful substance that can cause health issues

This section describes techniques for freezing and drying elderberries since these are the two most common raw states for berries to be sold.
Elderflowers are most commonly sold in their dried form.
Elderberry and elderflower are also used to make a wide range of value-added products, which can be made on the farm or by a co-packer.

There is significant market potential for elderberry – globally and locally.
Value-added elder products are manufactured at different scales across the supply chain: by on-farm value-added producers, herbalists, specialty food entrepreneurs, and nutraceutical corporations.
Both processors and retailers express strong interest in California-grown elderberries, and 67% of elder processors surveyed said they did not find enough supply to meet their needs.
Prices for elderberry offer substantial opportunity for profitability, but vary significantly across market channels.