Fruit Attraction provided a platform for leading operators in the global blueberry supply chain to come together and discuss the future prospects of the sector.
A panel featuring Steve Magami (CEO, Agrovision), Hector Lujan (CEO, Hortifrut), Vicente Jemenéz (CEO, Surexport), and Theo Lombard (Anlo Farming & Investment) explored the key drivers behind the short-term growth of blueberry consumption.
Blueberry cultivation has expanded rapidly, now covering 260,000 hectares—an area that has increased tenfold over the past 20 years and doubled between 2014 and 2024.
Taste Qualities as a Key Growth Driver
The sustained growth of the blueberry market has been largely attributed to the fruit’s exceptional taste, which is also playing a pivotal role in unlocking new markets.
There are still vast regions, like China and India—both with populations exceeding 1.3 billion—where blueberry consumption remains minimal. In these countries, demand is being initiated and developed through premium products targeting the middle-upper and upper market segments, where just 5% of consumers can drive 80% of sales.
This untapped potential alone is sufficient to absorb both current and future blueberry production.
Growth in Western Markets
Price-driven markets like Italy continue to show steady growth, with no signs of slowing down. In Italy, for example, household spending on blueberries has nearly doubled in the past three years (+81%, according to Italian Berry – GfK data).
Similar trends, where growth is not primarily quality-driven, are seen in other European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.
However, for long-term sustainability, the entire sector needs to raise its quality standards, not just the most innovative players, according to experts from the International Blueberry Organization (IBO).
Purchase Experiences and Sales Impacts
It’s common for blueberry consumers to have unsatisfactory experiences in retail stores, leading to hesitation and discouraging repeat purchases.
A dissatisfied consumer typically refrains from buying blueberries for about seven weeks, which can indirectly affect other origins, varieties, and producers, as they follow each other throughout the season and are influenced by consumer satisfaction.
Despite growing demand, producers should avoid making overly enthusiastic decisions without considering long-term sustainability.
Successes and Challenges in Latin America
Even in a growing market, there will be both winners and losers. A notable example is Mexico, which, despite its close proximity to the United States—one of the largest blueberry markets—saw its exports decline from 80,000 tons to 66,000 in a single year, with expectations of further drops to 60,000 tons.
Chile is another example; after helping establish the global blueberry market, it has faced challenges in recent years due to increasing competition from Peru, which has diminished the competitiveness of its supply chain that once dominated Southern Hemisphere exports.
Future Prospects
While individual countries may experience varying outcomes, there is a general agreement among industry operators that the sector is growing and will continue to expand. Some even believe that the global consumption of blueberries has no apparent limits.
However, this optimism acknowledges the significant challenges ahead. Realizing this positive outlook will require addressing many pressing issues that are already impacting the industry, which is a topic worth exploring further.
