Who Doesn’t Love Blueberries?

The UK eats 53 tonnes of blueberries annually. M&S makes more money from blueberries than from apples and pears combined. While Aldi sells 3 times as many punnets as bags of oranges. Yet blueberries were not sold in UK supermarkets until the 1990s, nor at all commercially until 1916! And with the UK crop surging to over 5,000 tonnes from below a 1,000 on 2009, they can be sourced locally.

What’s not to like?

Is it a coincidence that blueberries were one of the original superfoods in the 1990’s? They certainly went from being only included in muffins and other baked goods, to a fruit in their own right. Consider the options if you want to get the beneficial effects of the antioxidant anthocyanin. Would you prefer beetroot, red cabbage or blueberries? This might explain why the over 55’s particularly pick them.

Given they’re small and don’t need peeling nor leave fingers sticky, they’re also a hit with parents with young children. A great way to get some of their five a day without too many tantrums. Ideal in smoothies or the finishing touches as a topping, they’re in favour with young adults as well. This is why blueberries are in 58% of all UK fridges.

The UK Future

A quarter of blueberries eaten in the UK come from Peru, while 10% now come from the UK. Back in 2009 we struggled to supply 5% of a much smaller market. Driving this growth is the demand for premiumisation. Tesco value range is £9 per kilo, it’s finest over £13. The difference is size; 14mm diameter is the smallest allowed, while 18-22mm is where the premium sits.

The good news is British farming is responding with new growers and programmes to produce better more consistent growth at the times when there is a market lull in early summer. A downside is the need for pickers as mechanical picking can’t currently sort between ripe and unripe fruit leading to a loss of up to 20% of the crop. Yet getting pickers is difficult as it’s not a highly paid role. Given time there will be more premium British blueberries with better picking machines to meet the demand.

Opportunities

Both farming and catering are sectors under threat from rising costs and difficult conditions. Both need to adapt to feed the nation. Innovation and giving consumers more of what they want is key.

It’s also about exploring the different. After all the blueberry was ignored as a fruit until Elizabeth White noticed them growing well in the boggy acidic soil of her family New England cranberry farm and decided to cultivate them. Are blueberries on your menu and are they sourced locally from the UK? Why not seize the opportunity?

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