At the Berry Area of Macfrut 2025, Italian Berry conducted an exclusive interview with Francisco del Rosal (Head of R&D+i) and Rocío García Peña (Export Manager for Italy) of Cuna de Platero, a Spanish cooperative specializing in strawberries and berries. We discussed the current production season and the evolution of their presence on the Italian market. Here’s what they told us.
How was this season?
Cuna de Platero: It has been a season of ups and downs. We started at the end of December, and the months of December, January, and February went very well, with good prices and steady production. Unfortunately, heavy rains in May negatively affected product quality. Production also dropped slightly—we expected more.
Despite everything, we managed to save the season. We are now continuing with the hope that the campaign can last a bit longer, as temperatures during this period should be higher but are still around 25–28°C or even lower.
This might allow us to continue until the end of May or early June, which would be a positive outcome considering the slowdown in March.
And what about the Italian market?
Cuna de Platero: We entered the Italian market two years ago with a targeted strategy focused on large-scale retail. We work exclusively with retail stores and we are now present in the main Italian supermarket chains, offering primarily strawberries but also blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
Our main strength remains the strawberry: this year we reached a production volume of around 45–50 million kilos in six months.
However, we are also seeing strong growth in blueberries, which are increasingly in demand. We have our own exclusive variety, Cupla, which has firmly established itself in the Italian market.
Where do you see the greatest potential for Cuna de Platero in Italy? Which products show the most promising growth or respond best to the needs of the Italian market?
Cuna de Platero: Cupla is a variety that produces highly uniform fruits, with an average size of about 18 mm (L category). It is a very juicy blueberry, with a balanced sweet and tart flavor that recalls the wild aroma, “traditional” berries.
Aesthetically, it is very homogeneous with a beautiful blue color. It is also an early variety, among the first to enter production.
The variety is in full international expansion, not only in Huelva and within our cooperative. We have decided to make it available to external growers, both outside the cooperative and in other regions. In Italy, for example, plantations are already active in Sicily and Apulia.
Cupla variety: seasonality, taste characteristics, size, and price
Cuna de Platero: Cupla is highly productive. A mature plant can yield more than 6–7 kg of fruit. Another advantage for growers is its harvesting efficiency, a crucial aspect in countries like Italy and Spain where labor is costly.
Our pricing reflects our commercial objectives. We aim to enter the market during less crowded periods, ensuring better prices for producers, especially in February, March, and April.
Based on the data, Cupla shows an average price about €1.5/kg higher than the other varieties we grow. Many producers prefer it precisely for its economic profitability.
How do Italian supermarkets compare to other European buyers?
Cuna de Platero: Within our cooperative alone, in 2023 we marketed over 1.5 million kilos of Cupla on the European market, including Italy. There are also plantations outside the cooperative.
The Italian market is highly demanding but also very complex. Buyers look for high-quality products but often want to pay low prices. Unlike other companies, we offer premium varieties that could meet the Italian market’s quality expectations… but we often face challenges when it comes to pricing.
However, Italian buyers tend to prioritize volume over value. This is a clear difference compared to other European markets, which often reward quality more.
For blueberries, the Italian market primarily requests 250 g and 500 g punnets.
