For Stonewall Kitchen, Wild Blueberries
Represent the “Best of Maine”
The news that Wild Maine Blueberry Jam outsold all other Stonewall Kitchen products last year might have been cause for celebration for Wild Blueberry enthusiasts, but in fact, it was just another year. Wild Maine Blueberry Jam is consistently in the top three products sold by the company, and 2008 was no different. “Over the past 18 years, millions of jars have been sold, and it continues year after year to be the most popular flavor we make,” said Laura Duncan, Stonewall Kitchen’s Director of Marketing. Although such consistent popularity seems to be a straightforward case of exceptional taste, it is something slightly more complicated: exceptional taste purely represented in a local ingredient. For a Maine-based company that uses berries grown in Maine, Wild Maine Blueberry Jam, more than any other product, represents Stonewall Kitchen.
Wild Maine Blueberry Jam has remained at the heart of the product line since 1991, even as Stonewall Kitchen evolved and expanded. What was once a selection of vinegars and jams made in a home kitchen in Hampton, New Hampshire by Jonathan King and Jim Stott and displayed on a card table at a local farmer’s market, is now eight company stores and counting, a New York City bistro, and thriving web and catalog divisions. Wild Maine Blueberry Jam’s featured role in Stonewall products reveals many of the berry’s assets. Besides a superior flavor, the jam is consistently full of whole berries. “Customers comment that the jam reminds them of the filling in a homemade blueberry pie — sweet but with a hint of tart flavor,” said Duncan. Read more about the role of Wild Blueberries in Stonewall Kitchen.
Stonewall Kitchen has recognized a mystique that accompanies foods that are grown, harvested and packaged locally. In fact, the decision to use “Wild Maine Blueberry” on the product label may play a role in the jam’s popularity. Consumers know the company’s distinctive labels: the product name appears handwritten, almost as if the item is a gift labeled personally for the recipient. “Our products originally were named solely by what was in the jar. 
Since the owners preferred the flavor of the Wild Blueberry that’s what was selected as the name,” said Duncan. “The word wild implies a fresh, unadulterated taste as opposed to cultivated.” The product description also includes their indigenous Down East Maine locality, and even adds that their blues are “hand raked” — many Wild Blueberry crops are still harvested the traditional way, using hand-held berry rakes that were first invented in 1910. Said Duncan, “We have found that the ‘Made in Maine’ factor adds a perception of value, wholesomeness and back-to-basic goodness that people are drawn to.”
Traditional harvesting fits the company profile. Since its beginning, the unmistakable labels and recipes haven’t changed — in order to achieve a consistent product, Stonewall Kitchen producers always follow the recipe exactly. Both King, now in the role of company President and Creative Director, and Stott, who serves as Vice President and photographer, have always shared a passion for food and cultivating high-quality ingredients. (The company name came from the stone walls on the original farm where the products were made.) The first farmer’s market led to fairs, and honors followed, including the top national award for Outstanding Product Line at the NASFT Fancy Food Show in New York City. A company store was opened in Kittery, Maine in 1995, and its headquarters was moved to York, Maine in 2000.
“The Maine Wild Blueberry and blueberries as a whole have a fresh, distinct and healthy flavor and value,” said Duncan. “They are a perfect product addition to breakfast recipes which is a popular meal for the use of our products.” Duncan said that in addition to their versatility, blueberries are universally liked by all age groups, and because they freeze exceptionally well, they can be used in Stonewall products year round. The company also benefits from crops that are generally plentiful and consistently available.
Stonewall Kitchen attracts customers who like good food, but it also attracts those who find themselves moving toward whole, healthy products. While they remain faithful to their original recipes, they have often received request for foods without sugar, and responded with a sugarless version of Wild Maine Blueberry Jam called Wild Maine Blueberry Spread — it contains no sugar, and its primary ingredient is fruit. Marketing efforts capitalize on the health and antioxidant benefits of Wild Blueberries as well, and it is consider another product advantage. Stonewall Kitchen is also dedicated to supporting local food growers, a company feature to which consumers are increasingly alert. Stonewall Kitchen is one of the top consumers of Wyman’s, the blueberry harvester located in Cherryfield, Maine, and according to Duncan, orders with the harvester increase every year.
Color, taste, and the Maine name make Wild Blueberries an inspiring ingredient in the Stonewall kitchen, where ideas for new products are constantly being hatched. Products that take advantage of Wild Blues include Wild Maine Blueberry Tea — black tea infused with all natural blueberry flavor — and Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup. Blueberries are featured in Blueberry Peach Butter, Blueberry Muffin Mix, Blueberry Pancake and Waffle Mix, and Blueberry Scone Mix. Part of their prepared food offering is the uncommon Wild Maine Blueberry Brie en Croute, made with creamy French brie topped with Wild Maine Blueberry Jam and wrapped in puff pastry.
Stonewall Kitchen also boasts many distinctive proprietary recipes, and Duncan said one of the company’s favorite uses of blueberries is in Blueberry Lemon Sorbet, which can be made easily with a jar of jam, water and a little lemon juice. Chilled Blueberry Soup is another favorite that puts the flavor of Wild Blueberries to good use in a sweet chilled “soup” that turns jam and cream into a vibrant dessert. A baklava recipe also features Maine Blueberry Honey and dried blueberries. Search for these and other Stonewall Kitchen recipes.
Recently, King and Stott launched a cooking school to capitalize on the "mini-lessons" provided at their retail locations. The school brings chefs, cookbook authors, and cooking professionals from across the nation to the York flagship location where they share their knowledge and pass along their talents. The school has evolved over this past year, always with the company’s signature products in use, to include classes about local food trends and shopping. Upcoming classes include “Springtime Brunch with Southern Flair”, “Soups, Stocks, Knife Skills and So Much More”, and classes called “Learn at Lunch”, which combine the chance to nourish the body as well as the mind.
As creative as the specialty foods and recipes are, Stonewall Kitchen customers like to enjoy the many uses of Wild Blueberry products in their own ways — a dollop of Wild Maine Blueberry Jam is used to sweeten tea, for instance, and Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup is a much-loved indulgence on vanilla ice cream. Once the creative spirit hits, the opportunities are endless. But just as all Stonewall Kitchen products still have the look and taste of the old New Hampshire farm, at the heart of these inventive Wild Blueberry products, foods, and recipes will always be Wild Maine Blueberry Jam. “The flavor is pure, simple and homemade,” said Duncan, “making it a true representative of what we consider to be the best of Maine.”
