The Summer Berry Company (TSBC) has begun the first commercial harvest of Malaika, a premium raspberry variety bred by Advanced Berry Breeding (ABB). Characterised by its jumbo fruit size, lighter red colour, and exceptional shelf-life, Malaika is now reaching retail programmes across Europe and the UK, creating new market opportunities for growers.
Malaika is part of ABB’s Elite Raspberry Collection (ERC), a programme granting carefully selected growers access to high-performing raspberry varieties that combine agronomic strength with strong consumer appeal. TSBC has become the first Portuguese grower to hold a Gold License, allowing them not only to produce Malaika at scale but also to sub-license its production within Portugal.
The licensing model is designed around selected accessibility rather than exclusivity, ensuring the variety’s wider availability while safeguarding quality and consistency. According to ABB, Malaika provides a distinctive advantage in the crowded berry category by offering a product that stands out both on supermarket shelves and throughout the supply chain.
Retail and grower benefits
For retailers, Malaika’s premium appearance, size, and shelf-life make it highly marketable and consumer-friendly. TSBC’s commercial director Jack Darnes highlighted that the variety inspires consumer confidence and strengthens the overall raspberry category. For growers, ABB emphasises that Malaika also improves profitability by supporting harvest efficiency, production timing, and post-harvest performance.
ABB’s CEO, Hubert Gadret, underlined that Malaika is not just an attractive raspberry but also a practical solution that reduces costs in the field while delivering consistent quality to retailers. The first commercial harvest in Portugal marks the beginning of its wider rollout across European premium retail programmes, with ABB and TSBC confident that Malaika will expand in volume and raise expectations for the berry category in the years ahead.
Text and image source: Fruitnet
