05 Dec 2025
Over the past two weeks we saw varietal innovation (new releases and breeding programs), production adjustments (Mexico and Peru), market signals in the UK and a footprint rationalization in Italy. On retail, Dole strengthens its premium blueberry offer to ensure year‑round availability.
Bloom Fresh unveils Matías™, a blueberry combining large size, strong field resilience and 55+ days shelf life. Such post‑harvest performance can cut shrink, unlock longer routes and keep quality more consistent. Designed for warm climates with high yields and firm, crunchy berries, the variety could raise premium benchmarks and support 12‑month programs. Adoption across growing regions and impact on category segmentation will be key to watch.
Wish Farms is pushing genetics: the program is entering a phase leading to pre‑commercial trials in 2026 with two raspberry selections and potential varietal releases in 2027. The focus is consistent quality, yield and broad adaptability to lower agronomic risk and improve returns per hectare. The growing pipeline suggests faster innovation in raspberries and blackberries, with upside on flavor, texture and storability.
Wish Farms refreshes its R&D strategy, bringing in a breeder with 35 patents and a platform that blends classical breeding with advanced phenotyping. Target traits include flavor, shelf life and productivity in raspberries and blackberries to ensure steadier supply for North American retailers. The varietal differentiation path is meant to underpin year‑round programs, with potential spillover into strawberries and blueberries.
Mexico forecasts 91,700 metric tons of blueberries: roughly 75% fresh export, 14% domestic, 1% frozen export. Planted area exceeds 11,000 ha with legacy varieties being replaced by newer genetics; the U.S. remains the main destination. The outlook points to an expanding yet more selective campaign on quality, with implications for calendar, varietal mix and promotional strategy.
Peru is about 70% through its season and plans a steadier flow through April 2026. Fewer peaks, more continuity: the strategy aims at leaner logistics, smoother field operations and better arrival quality. After recent imbalances, the repositioning should deliver more sustainable and predictable supply for retail programs, albeit with volumes trimmed versus early expectations.
Raspberries jumped 40% (from £11.46 to £16.00) in a monitored UK wholesale report amid late‑season tightness and solid demand. Strawberries were broadly stable, blackberries unchanged. The move signals pressure on retail margins and calls for careful promo calibration; growers benefit from firmer pricing but face near‑term volatility risk as weather and imports shift supply.
Italian berry acreage continues to contract in Piedmont, Lombardy, Trentino‑South Tyrol and Veneto; blueberries remain dominant yet recede, while raspberries show mixed dynamics. Sicily and Calabria are expanding. The picture reflects higher costs, import competition and selective demand. Priorities include efficiency, specialization and varietal innovation to protect profitability and quality standards.
Dole Italia extends supply with premium Abril Blue+ and Alessia Blue+ (size >18 mm, intense flavor, longer shelf life) through partnerships in Peru, reinforcing continuity and quality standards for Italian retail. The strategy enables 12‑month programs and trade‑up opportunities across pack sizes and mix, with attention to yields, perceived freshness and premium price positioning.
Poland’s BigRed berry farm is expanding to 50 hectares of hydroponic tunnels (45 ha raspberries, 5 ha blackberries). The high‑tech setup delivers climate control, irrigation efficiency and steady premium quality, aiming to fill seasonal gaps and capture price windows. The move underscores a broader shift to scaling protected production in Northern Europe to stabilize supply and set premium standards.
