Many commodity boards and trade associations want to see their product enter new markets, but they don’t have meaningful connections with the food manufacturers and product developers who can make expansion possible. 

This case study explores how Wild Hive facilitated a partnership between the Washington Red Raspberry Commission (WRRC) and Rubicon Bakers, resulting in a nationally distributed, co-branded cupcake that exceeded all expectations.

Challenge

Washington red raspberries are picked at the peak of ripeness, then harvested and frozen within hours. Whether they’re frozen whole or in the form of crumbles, puree or juice concentrate, the red raspberries’ flavor, beautiful color and nutritional benefits remain perfectly intact. This makes them an ideal choice for food manufacturers.

The question WRRC faced was this: How can we expand our footprint and become a premium ingredient of choice for more wholesalers and product developers?

Wild Hive’s Solution: Cultivating New Connections

Wild Hive’s integrated marketing strategy for WRRC centered around a Harvest Tour — a carefully curated event designed to showcase WRRC’s superior product and farm-to-freezer production process. More than just another industry event, the Harvest Tour provided a deeply personal and immersive experience.

Wild Hive’s Harvest Tour featured:

  • An invitation-only guest list. We extended invitations to handpicked, non-competing attendees who would truly appreciate the benefits of working with frozen raspberries grown in Washington state.
  • Seed-to-farm-to-freezer experience. Participants witnessed WRRC’s entire red raspberry process – from cultivars and breeding lines to commercially available varieties and harvesting – and learned how freezing preserves the fruit’s many positive characteristics.
  • Tasting opportunities. Attendees were able to sample red raspberries at peak ripeness and experience their superior flavor and pleasing color.
  • Education on versatility. The Harvest Tour highlighted various frozen formats (whole, crumbles, puree, juice) and their applications in recipes, baking and product development.

This in-person, multi-sensory experience gave potential buyers the chance to see, taste and understand the unique benefits of Washington red raspberries, creating a lasting impression that goes beyond traditional marketing efforts.

The Rubicon Connection: From Tour to Partnership

Leveraging our extensive network of commercial and non-commercial foodservice operators, commercial bakers, and ingredient manufacturers, Wild Hive invited a key decision maker from Rubicon Bakers, a commercial bakery known for both premium wholesale and retail products, to one of our annual Harvest Tours. This invitation became the catalyst for a far-reaching and innovative partnership.

Impressed by the quality, versatility and potential of Washington red raspberries — and the story behind the product — Rubicon Bakers was enamored by the possibilities. They began developing recipes using frozen raspberry formats and ultimately a puree, eventually creating a vegan lemon raspberry cupcake that would become the cornerstone of a co-branded partnership between Rubicon and WRRC.

Meanwhile, Wild Hive developed a comprehensive integrated marketing strategy to promote the new product, which included influencer outreach, trade and consumer media outreach, social media integration, on-pack coupon promotions and multi-media advertising campaigns. 

Results: WRRC Takes the Cake

WRRC’s innovative partnership with Rubicon Bakers — fueled by Wild Hive’s integrated marketing strategy — has yielded impressive results, including:

  • National and regional distribution. The cupcake secured placement in major retailers including Kroger, Sprouts, Whole Foods and Safeway, as well as numerous regional stores.
  • Co-branded product. In a first for WRRC, Rubicon agreed to co-brand their vegan lemon raspberry cupcake, placing the WRRC logo on the packaging and on the company’s website.
  • Transparent ingredients. Using Washington red raspberry puree for both color and flavor (with no artificial colors or additives), Rubicon created a delicious cupcake that clearly lists “Washington Red Raspberry puree” in the ingredients.
  • Kroger milestone. The cupcake became the first Rubicon-branded (not private label) product manufactured by Rubicon to be carried by Kroger nationwide and this was promoted by Wild Hive to key grocery trade publications.
  • Product longevity. What started as a limited-time offer (LTO) became an everyday item within a year.
  • Charitable impact. A launch promotion with Kroger raised funds for FareStart, a Seattle-based nonprofit focused on helping people transform their lives through food.
  • Consumer engagement. On-pack coupons, influencer outreach and digital advertising drove consumer awareness and sales — enabling Wild Hive to reach WRRC’s goal of 1 million impressions and at least 8 to 10 product placements.

This partnership showcases how commodity products can build brand recognition through strategic co-branding. The product’s rapid transition from LTO to permanent item — combined with its widespread distribution — speaks to its success.

“We believe in creating indulgent and delicious baked goods you can feel good about eating, and our new Vegan Lemon Raspberry Cupcake is no exception. The pink color in the icing and filling comes entirely from the rich red raspberry puree we source from Washington red raspberry growers. We’re proud to be working with the Washington red raspberry growers to bring this delicious new cupcake flavor and are thrilled to see our customers already falling in love with it too!” – Andrew Stoloff and Leslie Crary, co-owners of Rubicon Bakers.