If you’re looking for a way to enjoy strawberries all year, you’ve come to the right place. Freeze dried fruits are super healthy and chock-full of all the same vitamins and minerals as fresh ones.
At Handasyde’s, we freeze dry our berries as soon as they’re picked, which means those freshly harvested nutrients are locked in and ready to eat.
Why freeze dried berries?
Humans have been preserving produce for thousands of years. And, like most things, the technology has changed.
Freeze drying removes 98% of the water from your favourite fruit and berries, which means less breeding ground for nasties. And that’s just one of a berry long list of benefits:
Our freeze-drying process means:
- We don’t add sugar or preservatives (not ever), so they’re a great addition to your healthy lifestyle
- Produce hangs onto nearly 100% of its original nutritional content, so you have a healthy, fruity boost available all year long
- Berries retain their flavour, aroma, and appearance, so your kids will love them
- Fruit is packable and travel-friendly for weekend adventures and holidays
Head to our shop to learn more about our products.
Our freeze drying process
Simply put, we grow a lot of strawberries at Handasyde’s. In fact, each year we hand-plant about 300,000 strawberry plants.
From September to April, we’re harvesting almost every day. From the field, our berries go straight into our cold room to be graded and packed.
We sell A and B grade strawberries in two places: at our farm gate and in local shops, to be eaten fresh or used in recipes.
Freeze drying cut strawberries allows us to use some of the B-grade berries that don’t look perfect. While they can’t be used in punnets, we can still make the most of their beautiful flavour and nutrition.
- After being washed and prepared, berries are frozen to -30ºC in our freeze drying machine
- Fruit is placed in a vacuum chamber, where ice crystals evaporate — a process called sublimation
- Product is heated slowly to complete the process
- Strawberries are inspected and sealed in moisture-proof bags to seal in freshness, flavour, and nutrition
Value, sustainability, community
Freeze drying strawberries means we get the absolute most out of our crops each year. It also reduces the amount of waste we produce at Handasyde’s, which is very important to us.
If you’re a grower with a crop you’d like to freeze dry, check out our wholesale page. There, you’ll find information about how we can work together. Partnering with local businesses in Albany WA and the Great Southern means a stronger community for everyone.