I like the name “chuckley pear”, sounds like a fruit that would be great to be buds with…
Well, them’s the berries. Whatta ya gonna do?
Yes, yes I do, occasionally. What good Sask born boy wouldn’t? And no, rape oil probably wouldn’t market well, even I’ll accede to that.
You guys talking about serviceberries? What’s with these made-up names you’re using?
Not entirely without purpose. In order for them to be grown commercially, US growers used the already successfully commercial Canadian stocks, which are Saskatoons. Technically, saskatoons and june/service berries are different varietals from east to west. Not to mention that since the Cree already named the damn things, it predates the whole june/service berry moniker by a thousand years or so.
Love the name Saskatoon. And I love the song, as well. I’d buy something called Saskatoon berries; June berries, not so much.
Except that we often call them simply ‘saskatoons’ and not ‘saskatoon berries.’
Did you tell the OP that? 
Zzzzzzzzzzzt. Wrong.
Chinese Gooseberries are the original name of what are now called Kiwi Fruit.
Marketing. It’s all down to marketing.
I’m confused. We’re talking about a species of Amelanchier, right?
‘Juneberry’ isn’t just some catchy new marketing name - it’s an established, traditional name for them.
I think A-sigh-ee is most common, although A-kai is a common but wrong attempt.
I’ve even heard people say ah-sah-ah-ee
nm
I have no idea what the fuck a Saskatoon berry is. But since it sounds Canadian, I’ll just go ahead and assume they’re terrible.
Also, please get your shit together and just admit that poutine is just cheese fries with gravy.
See acai sounds exotic. Markets well. Maybe worth a premium. Hype up the Amazonian and putative antioxidant to mysticism levels and you got a product you can sell. And there was not already the same fruit known in the U.S. sold under a different name.
Saskatoon sounds like what it is, a place in Canada where the big deal is curbside swaps. Nothing wrong with that and if that is your old neck o the woods then it might appeal to you, but appealing a broader American or international demographic? Not.
Serviceberries? Those are shrubs that are useful in landscaping, nice spring show, that’s how many of us know that name. That won’t work either. Juneberries? That is what these berries are already known by by those who know them for eating and might buy them in the U.S. - OF COURSE you sell them in the U.S. market under that name. Only reason to consider not doing so would be if Juneberry had a negative association. And at worst some people of us have not heard of it either way. Tart blueberry flavor possibly even more nutritious you say? Hmm. Might try some if I see 'em, by either name.
Earlier this year I was harvesting a handful of berries daily from a fruit-laden shrub on the grounds of my workplace. A curious woman heading to her parked car asked me what they were. I said “serviceberries”. She looked confused, so I added “Juneberries”, and she knew what I meant.
By any name, they are terrific eating, at least the ones I know - sweet, juicy and flavorful. Mrs. J. made great serviceberry muffins awhile back, and they should be fine in pies too.
The kind I grow (I have three of these now) is Amelanchier “Autumn Brilliance”, which in addition to having big crops of tasty berries in a good year, also has white flowers in abundance in spring and red foliage in fall. A great ornamental shrub.
Oh, and Canadians who object to marketing the berries under the name “Juneberry” need to lighten up. It’s a very old traditional name for them in the U.S.
OK, on digging into this a little more, and re-reading my link; it would seem that those of you suggesting I lighten up may, stress on MAY, have a point. The suggestion is to add June berry to the packaging, not completely replace the name Saskatoon. I still think the name June berry is dumb, but as referenced above, gas isn’t petrol, and trucks aren’t lorries in the US. I do find it somewhat amusing that June berry is a British term and is preferred over the name the original Cree, though.
Thank you to those who had lucid and thoughtful responses, I appreciate it.
FWIW, the city of Saskatoon is named for the berry, not the other way around.
As a final note, poutine is more than just cheese curds, fries and gravy. When done properly it is a mouthful of deliciousness!
friedo, no maple syrup for you…
June berries are what they’re called. It only makes sense to put that on the package. And everybody knows that maple syrup comes from Vermont.
I thought it came from trees.
Not in Vermont, apparently.