Vision Mission Values Quality Control Standards Processing Guarantee

Westberry Farms

Beautiful British Columbia is one of the largest Blueberry producing regions in the world generating well over 65 million pounds of fresh and frozen blueberries annually. With its temperate climate and rich acidic soil - the region offers perfect conditions for growing some of the best "high bush" cultivated blueberries in the world. As a result, production volumes in British Columbia are expected to surpass its closest rival, Michigan, in the next five years to meet the ever increasing demands of local, national and international markets.

Nestled in the foothills of the mountains of the Fraser Valley delta of British Columbia, lies Westberry Farms, Ltd. - a family owned and operated business that prides itself in producing and packing the highest quality blueberries available in the market today. Our hand-picked berries are packaged with care and delivered with a promise of guaranteed freshness and excellence in quality.

With a vision to meet the demands of a highly sophisticated and discerning consumer for a healthy lifestyle that includes quality food products, Westberry Farms was established in 1997. From a small 100 acre family farm, Westberry has grown into one of the top growers/packers/shippers in BC processing fruit annually from over 1000 acres of collective farms.

 
 
As producers and processors of high quality fruit Westberry Farms believes in sustainable agriculture that is in sync with the environment. As a result, the consumer receives the most safely produced fruit. We believe we are the caretakers of our land and as such safe agricultural practices are uppermost in our minds. We have a collective farming background that goes back to our ancestral roots built on agriculture and we are passing this farming expertise on to our next generation.

As packers of quality fruit we do not take any shortcuts. It can be said to our credit, that, our product arrives in wholesale and retail environments in the best quality because it has been carefully inspected and freshly packed. Our promise to our customers is to ensure our fruit is packed and shipped within 24 hours of picking which results in freshness and quality that cannot be beat.

Simply put, Westberry Farms promises ethical and environmental responsibility as a good corporate citizen and staying close to our family roots as farmers.

 

OUR VISION

"To grow and pack safe and premium quality berries in a sustainable production environment."
 


OUR MISSION

"To be the trusted source in the production, packaging, and processing of the Northwest Fruit Basket."
 

VALUES
  • FARMING STEWARDSIP: We hold true to our roots as producers and caretakers of our land through integrated crop management practices and ethical use of the environment.
  • CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Sustainable farming and active participation in our local community.
  • GROWING PREMIUM QUALITY PRODUCT: Our reach is global; therefore, we must ensure our customers the finest in quality and freshness everywhere.
  • GROWER SERVICES: Our strength is in harnessing the power of our grower community through sound agricultural practices and technical services.
  • FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY CONTROL: We will exceed industry standards in food safety through continuous enhancements in plant and equipment, packing and processing and annual audits and industry accreditations.
  • EMPLOYEE RETENTION & TRAINING: Our employees are our best assets in achieving excellence throughout our harvesting, packing, quality control and shipping.
  • We will educate, train, and empower our employees to monitor, control and take pride in products that ensure healthy living.
  • Westberry Farms fosters creativity, ownership and responsibility so that each and every team member can deliver EXCELLENCE!!
  • TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION: Implementation of Color Sorters, Metal Detectors, Fruit Sizers and other equipment are continuous. Diversity through new value-added products - Dried Fruits, Juice Concentrates and more.

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QUALITY CONTROL STANDARDS

- From farm to table

Packing blueberries for the local, national and international markets calls for impeccable standards in the packing process of our homegrown blueberries. We are proud to inform our customers that we are dedicated to the highest standards with regards to our fresh and frozen products.

We are certified under the American Institute of Bakers (AIB) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) guidelines to ensure compliance with government food safety standards and respected industry associations. We have consistently received "Superior" as our grading standard. Additionally, Westberry Farms has also obtained the widely known Kosher Seal of Approval under the Orthodox Jewish Rabbinical Society. Our Plant audits and certifications are updated annually. We are also federally registered plant under Agri-Foods Canada and HAACP Certified.

To meet strict guidelines in quality control, Westberry staff are directed to conduct self-audits and inspections on a regular basis during harvest and production. We maintain detail records from start to finish from field picking to packing. This assures quality control throughout the production phase and provides accuracy and consistency to our grading standards. Established policies and procedures assist in ensuring quality standards are met at every turn.
 
PROCESSING


Westberry Farms Plant features some of the latest equipment in frozen processing. The production process starts out from our state-of-the-art on-site Cooler designed to remove field heat. Blueberries are then fed through a pre-wash system with chlorination. A destemmer removes stems and small fruit prior to going into a computerized Color Sorter. Once the best berries get through the Color Sorter they are then guided onto a wire-mesh conveyor where line staff manually remove any non compliant berries. A dewatering system further removes moisture from the berries prior to packing. As the berries are fed into a funnel for packaging into poly-lined bags and weighing, a sophisticated metal detector monitors each pack to detect any metal debris. A quality control inspector samples berries every fifteen minutes to test and monitor pH levels, micros, record berry sizes, varieties, and assign grade levels. Each package is electronically weighted and time and date stamped with lot number for tracking prior to palletizing.

Westberry Farms prides itself on leveraging technology to enhance the quality and safety of our products. This commitment to deliver the best product continues to help us maintain a loyal base of customers worldwide. We pack to exceed federal grading standards and guarantee to meet the specifications of even the most demanding customers.

 

OUR GUARANTEE
We guarantee fruit excellence and stand behind our products with confidence. This guarantee covers fruit from farm to shelf. At all stages we have stringent guidelines that guarantee safe, quality fruit. It is this guarantee that has made us leaders in the industry and we continue to implement new guidelines in the safety concerned international market place.