EVENTI

The future of plant-based food cannot be built solely on imitating meat. It must return to celebrating real plants, including the berry category.

The 2025–26 season confirms a strong concentration of specific varieties in blueberry exports, with the top positions occupied by cultivars grown worldwide.

In week 21/2026, online berry prices in Italy declined: blueberries -1.6%, blackberries -1.3% and raspberries -0.6%, while GDO assortment remained led by blueberries at 38.5% on web shelves.

The Rubus industry faces challenges relating to intellectual property, access to genetic resources and the quality perceived by consumers.

Laimburg focuses on nearly 50 blueberry varieties, international breeding, climate resilience, fruit quality and Drosophila suzukii control strategies.

A clinical study shows that 6 weeks of blueberries may support muscle cell proliferation, improve cellular energy and enhance protection from stress.

Media attention is centred on European campaigns focusing on consumption and packaging formats, supply dynamics (California, Peru) and climate risks.

How frozen berries are evolving from a commodity ingredient into a high-value-added finished product, combining snack and indulgence trends.

In Belgium, UV-C robots cut fungicide use in tabletop strawberries by up to 80%, boosting sustainability, fruit quality, freshness and shelf life for European and UK berry markets.

In 2026, Germany will promote local strawberries and blueberries through two national days focused on quality, short supply chains, conscious consumption and support for regional berry growers.