The Rise of the British Blueberry Boom

Changing consumer tastes, undoubtedly, but there's also a little insight here into the monopsony power of supermarkets, who, fruit growers claim, are driving down the price they offer for strawberries and raspberries to the extent that many fear they may go out of business.

Whether they’re added to smoothies, salads, or simply enjoyed on their own, blueberries have become an increasingly popular choice among British consumers. Once dominated by imports, the UK market is now witnessing a significant rise in homegrown blueberries, signaling what industry insiders are calling a “British blueberry boom.” This shift reflects not only changing consumer preferences towards healthier eating but also the adaptation and resilience of British agriculture in response to challenging market conditions.

The Surge in Popularity

Sales of British blueberries have increased by 13% this year, according to British Berry Growers (BBG), an industry trade group. This rise is seen as a testament to both the quality of British blueberries and the growing consumer demand for healthier food choices. Neil Donaldson, the commercial director at Hall Hunter—the UK’s largest blueberry grower—describes the fruit as the “ultimate superfood,” highlighting its appeal across all age groups and its frequent appearance in lunchboxes. Blueberries are praised for their high antioxidant and vitamin content, as well as their superior shelf life compared to other berries like strawberries and raspberries.

Currently, UK shoppers purchase around 60,000 tonnes of blueberries annually, with British growers contributing about 10% of this total. The remainder is sourced from imports, depending on the season, from countries such as Poland, Peru, and Chile. Despite the challenges of competing with these cheaper imports, British blueberry growers are expanding their operations and extending their growing seasons by cultivating new varieties that mature earlier or later than traditional types.

Expanding Production and Overcoming Challenges

Leading the charge in this blueberry boom is Hall Hunter, which produces nearly half of all UK-grown blueberries with farms in Berkshire and Surrey. The company is planning to expand its production by planting an additional 55 hectares, which is expected to yield approximately 4,000 tonnes of blueberries. Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, has also joined the movement by collaborating with suppliers like Hall Hunter to increase the availability of British blueberries and ensure financial returns for growers.

This growth in the blueberry sector comes as a relief to an industry struggling to balance rising costs and pressures from supermarkets. While the overall berry market—encompassing strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries—grew by 11% in value and 5% in volume over the past year, the success was not evenly distributed. Blueberries saw double-digit sales growth, but the much larger strawberry market only grew by 1%, and sales of raspberries and blackberries declined by 5% and 2%, respectively.

The disparity in growth rates can be partly attributed to the differences in production costs and processes. Blueberries benefit from a higher level of automation in harvesting and packing, which reduces labour costs significantly. Hall Hunter, for example, utilizes a state-of-the-art harvester capable of picking 600 kilograms of fruit per hour. In contrast, strawberries and raspberries are more labour-intensive, with wages accounting for two-thirds of the cost of a punnet of raspberries. This has led to warnings from the BBG that two-fifths of British strawberry and raspberry growers could go out of business by 2026 if current conditions persist.

The Future of British Blueberries

While there is optimism surrounding the potential for expanding British blueberry production, growers face significant hurdles, including financial sustainability and competition from imports. Bartosz Pinkosz, operations director at The Summer Berry Company, notes that while there is capacity to grow more blueberries in the UK, success hinges on better support from retailers. He expresses frustration at seeing imports on supermarket shelves during the peak British season, emphasizing the need for fair pricing to cover costs rather than maximize profits.

Nick Marston, chair of the BBG, stresses the importance of retailers improving their relationships with growers to meet the increasing demand for British blueberries. Even during the height of the UK season, imports still account for about half of the blueberries on shelves. As the British blueberry boom continues, it is crucial that growers receive fair returns for their produce, enabling them to keep up with consumer demand and secure the future of the industry.

Glossary of Key Economic Terms

• Automation: The use of machinery and technology to perform tasks without human intervention, which reduces labor costs and increases efficiency in production processes.
• Consumer Demand: The desire of purchasers, consumers, or end-users to acquire goods and services, often influenced by factors like price, quality, and availability.
• Imports: Goods and services brought into one country from another, often to supplement domestic production.
• Market Conditions: The features of a market into which a product or service is being introduced, including the level of demand, competition, and overall economic climate.
• Production Costs: The total expense incurred in manufacturing a product, including raw materials, labour, and overheads.
• Retailers: Businesses or individuals that sell goods directly to consumers, often influencing the supply chain and pricing of products.
• Superfood: A term used to describe foods that are rich in nutrients and considered beneficial for health and well-being.
• Supply Chain: The entire system of production, processing, and distribution of goods from the initial supplier to the final consumer.

Retrieval Questions

1. What factors have contributed to the rise in popularity of British blueberries?
2. How have British growers adapted to extend the growing season for blueberries?
3. What are some of the challenges faced by British berry growers, especially those growing strawberries and raspberries?
4. How does automation impact the production costs of blueberries compared to other berries?
5. What role do retailers play in the sustainability of British blueberry production?