20/09/2026
When Harry and Anne planted their first block of blueberries on the Mamaku Plateau, 600 metres above sea level, in volcanic ash, not much was known about blueberries in the early 1980s.
Blueberries belong to the Vaccinium genus within the Ericaceae family, which comprises around 450 species worldwide. Originally from North America, blueberries are now grown in many countries, including New Zealand.
Cultivated blueberry varieties can be categorised into three main types: highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), lowbush blueberries (V. angustifolium Ait.), and rabbiteye blueberries (V. ashei Reade).
Anne and Harry chose highbush varieties because they were well suited to the climate of the Mamaku Plateau. MAMAKU BLUE grows varieties such as Jersey, Dixi, and Burlington, along with several other older cultivars, including Duke, Brigitta, Elliott, Bluecrop, Reka, and various trial varieties. The main selection criteria were flavour, disease resistance, and the ability to withstand the tough, high-altitude climate of the Mamaku Plateau.
Interest in this small berry grew steadily over the years. After 2000, more research was published, with a significant increase in studies around 2020. MAMAKU BLUE has also contributed to extensive research (in 2010) conducted by Massey University students as part of their master’s and PhD studies on blueberries.
Blueberry anthocyanins have long been of interest to researchers. To date, 25 anthocyanidins have been identified in blueberries, including malvidin-3-O-galactoside, malvidin-3-O-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside, paeonidin-3-O-galactoside, petunidin-3-O-glucoside, petunidin-3-O-galactoside, malvidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-galactoside, petunidin-3-O-arabinoside, delphinidin-3-O-arabinoside, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, and eleven acylated structures.
In short, blueberries are a true antioxidant powerhouse, and research continues to uncover more about their remarkable properties, but most importantly, how can we retain them, and what makes them more efficient and effective within human and animal biology?
More info: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11395062/
https://www.mamakublue.co.nz/the-power-of-blueberries/
