Plus Berries, with extensive experience in the berry industry, is actively engaged in a specialized varietal development program in the field of blackberries. Italian Berry interviewed Jens Vang Jensen, Blackberry Sales Director of Plus Berries, and Carolina Rodriguez Verdugo, Blackberry Sales Manager of Plus Berries.
What are the latest developments from Plus Berries regarding blackberries?
We have devoted significant resources to creating unique varieties and refining our genetic program. During our participation in Fruit Attraction 2023 in Madrid, we introduced two new varieties that further enrich our varietal calendar. These new additions bring our selection to a total of six types of blackberries, covering a wide range of options.
Where are your varieties grown?
In the regions of Huelva, Spain, and Morocco, the calendar of these new varieties extends over two distinct periods: from October to February and from May to June. Plus Berries has earned a solid reputation for its expertise in blackberries, which account for 15% of our revenue.
Our varieties have been successfully cultivated in Spain for a decade, and we are currently also conducting production trials in other European countries, including Poland, Germany, Norway and Portugal. All in all, we manage a cultivated area of almost 100 hectares. Our main production partnership is with La Canastita, which accounts for about 80 per cent of our total volumes.
What are the characteristics that distinguish Plus Berries from the competition?
We firmly believe that our variety programme is a viable alternative to blackberries from Mexico, with lower transport costs and reduced environmental impact, thanks to land distribution instead of air. These new varieties are designed to be planted directly in the ground and are not intended for cold storage.
With a calendar of six varieties, we are able to cover a wide production calendar.
As far as the individual varieties in our programme are concerned, Kalika is a summer-ripening variety, successfully cultivated both in Huelva and Morocco in the period from June to September. In the period from March to June, the varieties Equa, Furia and Nemus ripen.
Equa is a premium variety highly appreciated in Switzerland for its sweet taste and good shelf life. Nemus, with similar characteristics, has a later seasonality. Furia stands out for its high Brix level but has limited shelf life and is therefore mainly suitable for domestic or geographically nearby markets.
Is there also a trend towards larger-sized blackberries?
It should be emphasized that, in general, berry size is not yet a determining criterion in the choice of consumers and buyers. Additionally, the size of the berries tends to vary during the season, initially larger and then progressively smaller, so it is not possible to guarantee consistency throughout the marketing period.
