Entering the European market for blueberries

Blueberries are a typical retail product that require scale and professional cultivation. As a supplier, it is important to operate in close coordination with producers and establish international partnerships to reach major retailers. Over the years it has become a difficult market to enter. Good quality blueberries can still be a very profitable crop, but it takes large investments in cultivation, varieties and packing to deal with the fierce competition from Peru, Spain and Morocco.

1. What requirements and certifications must blueberries meet and have to be allowed on the European market?

Fresh blueberries must comply with the general requirements for fresh fruit and vegetables, which you can find on the CBI market information platform. My Trade Assistant of Access2Markets provides an overview of export requirements for blueberries and other berries of the Vaccinium genus (product code 08104000).

What are mandatory requirements?

There are specific marketing standards for different berries, but most importantly they must be clean for direct consumption and the quality must be well kept by a proper post-harvest process.

Pesticide residues and contaminants

Pesticide residues are one of the crucial issues for fruit and vegetables suppliers. This is especially relevant for fresh blueberries, as they are directly consumed.

To avoid health and environmental risks, the European Union has set maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticides and other contaminants, such as heavy metals, in and on food products. Products exceeding the MRLs are withdrawn from the market.

Note that buyers in several EU Member States, such as Germany, the Netherlands and Austria, use even lower MRLs than those established by European legislation. The German retailer LIDL, for example, only allows 33% of the MRLs established by the law. LIDL has a supermarket network across Europe and this requirement normally applies regardless of the country in which the product will be sold. 

Microbiological criteria

Food safety authorities can withdraw imported berries from the market or stop them from entering the European Union if salmonella, norovirus, E. coli or other bacteria are present (Regulation No 2073/2005).

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has identified potential factors that cause contamination of berries with Salmonella and norovirus. These include rainfall, the use of contaminated water for irrigation or for applying pesticides, and contaminated equipment. EFSA recommends good agricultural, hygiene and manufacturing practices to reduce contamination in berries.

Phytosanitary regulations

Blueberries must go through plant health checks before entering or moving within the European Union.

European regulation requires plants and fruits of the Vaccinium genus originating in Canada, Mexico and the USA to be free from Grapholita packardi Zeller, also known as cherry fruit worm, which must be established in the country of origin by the national plant protection organisation. The plant health inspection must take place in the country of origin and the shipment must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, guaranteeing that they are:

• properly inspected;
• free from quarantine pests, within the requirements for regulated non-quarantine pests and practically free from other pests;
• in line with the plant health requirements of the EU, laid down in Regulation (EU) 2019/2072.

Quality standard

For more information on quality, size, packaging and labelling requirements for berries, including blueberries, see the UNECE standards for berry fruits (2023 edition).

Blueberries must at least comply with the general quality requirements (see Table 1). Bilberries and blueberries must be practically free of agglomerated berries. Blueberries must be practically covered with bloom, according to the varietal characteristics.

Table 1: Quality requirements and permissible tolerances for fresh berries, including blueberries

Europe almost exclusively requires Class I blueberries as a minimum. Blueberries in this class must be of good quality and within the following permissible tolerances:

• very slight leakage of juice;
• very slight bruising;
• a tolerance of 10% is allowed for fruit that meets Class II standards.

In no case may the defects affect the fruit flesh, the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and the presentation in the package.

Post-harvest

Berries must be cooled directly after harvest, which lowers the field heat from the berry and extends shelf life. A perfect cold chain is a must to maintain fruit quality and successfully export your blueberries to Europe.

Size and packaging

There is no specific standard for blueberry sizes in Europe. Buyers may have specific requirements for fruit grading, so it is best to discuss it beforehand.

The type of packaging also depends on your buyer. The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only berry fruits of the same origin, variety and quality.

Common packaging includes:

• Bag-in-box for bulk packaging (3–4 kg);
• Clamshells or punnets of various sizes, such as 12x125 g, for direct marketing. Larger packaging than the usual 125 g is growing more popular, subject to supply levels;
• Shakers or buckets often in 250 g or 500 g sizes done by packing companies in destination countries.

European retailers increasingly push for more sustainable packaging. As a supplier, you are expected to use recyclable or biodegradable packaging. The organic importer Eosta, for example, offers plastic-free packaging alternatives for blueberries. Also, back in 2021, the Italian brand Sant’Orsola introduced zero-waste and zero-residue blueberries in plastic-free packaging. Looking ahead, the EU-funded project FRIETS has developed edible seaweed-based coatings to preserve berries and avoid plastic packaging.

What additional requirements do buyers often have?

Good agricultural practices, certifications and sustainability are most important, but future requirements may also become more specific in relation to varieties and taste.

Variety

Although varieties are often indicated in the packaging, consumers in the end market often do not have preferences for specific blueberry varieties. The main reason to choose the right variety is to optimise productivity, quality and extend supply seasons. Choosing the right variety is important to obtain the best product for your client in terms of flavour, firmness, colour and shelf life. Large blueberries with a high brix value (sweet taste) are most likely to fetch higher prices. 

In the future, as the market for blueberries further matures and end-clients become more knowledgeable, specific variety preferences may also develop. Keep in mind that not all varieties work well in all growing areas. Breeders usually perform an evaluation of the climatic conditions and characteristics of your growing area to recommend the right variety for you.

Certification

Common certifications for blueberries include GLOBALG.A.P. for good agricultural practices, and GLOBALG.A.P. Chain of Custody (CoC). Additionally, BRCGS, IFS or similar HACCP-based food safety management systems recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) are required for packaging and processing facilities. 

Sustainability and social responsibility

Besides GLOBALG.A.P., water management has become a crucial issue for blueberry cultivation. This means that many importers require SPRING for berries and the GLOBALG.A.P add-on for sustainable irrigation and groundwater use. Additionally, a social certificate such as GRASP or Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) is highly recommended to get your product up to retail standards.

Retailers can also impose their individual standards, such as Tesco Nurture or M&S Field to Fork. Especially larger retail chains in northern Europe are more prepared to buy your product if you comply with social and sustainability standards.

In the near future you can expect new standards and buyer requirements to be introduced. For example, the Sustainable Trade Initiative for Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV), a private covenant between European importers and retailers, has formulated new goals towards 2025 that include reducing the carbon footprint and sustainable water use.

European Green Deal

In the coming years the European Green Deal will influence how resources are used and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. The new EU policies on sustainability will prepare Europe for becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. 

The Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly. It will ensure sustainable food production and address things like packaging and food waste. For suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables, it is important to look beyond more and higher standards and to try to be ahead of the developments. 

What are the requirements for niche markets?

Organic matches the healthy profile of blueberries

Organic certification can be an interesting way of setting your blueberries apart and marketing them at higher prices. Blueberries are very popular because of their health benefits and are directly consumed, which leads to increased consumer interest in clean and certified organic blueberries.

Specialised buyers such as SpecialFruit(Belgium), Lehmann Natur (Germany) and Eosta (Netherlands) work with organic blueberries. For a large part, organic blueberries are sourced locally and are sometimes from the bilberry or wild blueberry varieties. In France, retailer Carrefour sells zero-residue blueberries, blueberries without detectable pesticide residues, as an alternative to organic. In Germany, low or zero residue is already a standard and organic is one step up from it.

To market organic products in Europe, you must use organic production methods according to European legislation and apply for an organic certificate with an accredited certifier. In January 2022 the new Regulation (EU) 2018/848 came into force. This legislation includes new rules for group certifications, new approaches for dealing with suspected non-compliance and residues, and new rules at the EU borders for imported products. Inspection of organic products has become stricter to prevent fraud, and producers in third countries have to comply with the same set of rules as those producing in the European Union.

2. Through which channels can you get blueberries on the European market?

Blueberries are a premium fruit, which you can market through specialised soft fruit importers to supermarkets. Offering different packaging options can increase your market chances.

How is the end-market segmented?

The market segmentation for blueberries is straightforward. Certified organic blueberries and those branded as premium fetch the highest prices. Several supermarkets in large consuming countries have premium brands, such as Waitrose’s DUCHY blueberries (premium organic blueberries), Family Tree Farms Jumbo Ultra-Premium Blueberries or Driscoll’s ‘Sweetest Batch’ premium blueberries.

The most common segment is Class I blueberries, which are geared to average consumers. Retailers offer these blueberries in different sized consumer packages and often private label. They can be sourced from any origin. When market demand is very high or supply is short, occasional airfreight may raise blueberry prices.

Class II blueberries are not common, but can be marketed for fresh processing or by individual shops and street markets for quick sales. Blueberries that fail to meet the normal specifications are thrown away or, if possible, sold for any acceptable price.

The segmentation for blueberries is likely to diversify with more varieties, flavours, qualities and brands. The United Kingdom is farther ahead on these developments in Europe. Over the next few years, you will see a growing demand for premium blueberries, but also much more price competition from the medium segment.

Figure 1: Market segments for blueberries in Europe

Source: ICI Business 

3. Through which channels does a product end up on the end market?

Importers and service providers

Importers and traders play a central role in the distribution of blueberries. They are familiar with all the different requirements of end clients and are able to distribute to different markets. By sourcing blueberries from different regions, traders can assure their clients with year-round supply.

Blueberry and soft fruit specialists supply most of the market, forming a link between growers and retailers. Specialists such as Yex (formally known as Fruit World) and Growers Packers in the Netherlands, and Chambers and S&A Group in the United Kingdom, are closely involved in or integrated with primary production to offer a wide range of packing and mixing solutions. Packing is an important activity in the blueberry supply chain and consumer packing is a must for supermarkets.

Working closely with a company specialised in soft fruit is important to get your product to large retail chains. Specialists with global import activities are also very useful to indirectly reach wholesale, foodservice and processing channels. To reach industrial processors, it is a good idea to add frozen or preserved blueberries to your offer. However, the latter is a different market that you can further investigate in the CBI study on exporting frozen berries to Europe.

Supermarket supply programmes

Blueberries are a typical retail product. Large retail organisations want to source blueberries close to production, so they have more control and transparency in their supply chain. The demand for more transparency has led fresh fruit traders to get more involved in production. Several of these companies have merged their businesses with farmers and nurseries. For example, Berryworld is a highly specialised company that has managed to organise a group of international growers to supply to supermarkets, such as ICA (Sweden), Coop Denmark and Albert Heijn in the Netherlands. 

Wholesalers (spot market)

Wholesalers often supply smaller quantities of blueberries to secondary channels such as specialised fruit retailers and food services.

Smaller, traditional wholesalers reach fruit shops, street merchants, restaurants and hotel chains. They may also do importing, but they are not equipped to organise a global network of blueberry growers. Instead, they prefer to buy from local growers and international blueberry specialists. Without a retail programme, they only cover the spot market and are most subject to market fluctuations.

Global growing and sourcing companies have covered the large wholesale business and supply major food service chains or non-specialised (cash & carry) wholesalers, such as Metro.

Figure 2: Market channels for blueberries

Source: ICI Business

What is the most interesting channel for you?

Taking part in retail supply programmes can provide the security of stable demand and average margins, which are often most profitable in the end. However, the requirements are high and the room for negotiation is minimal.

Supplying supermarkets directly is challenging for non-European suppliers. Their demand is programmed and the local seasonal production weighs heavily in retailers’ preferences. As a foreign supplier, you must be prepared to integrate your business with European berry growers or service providers, offering full service and reliable volumes.

The most likely route to become part of a retail programme is to cooperate with a service provider that has a local infrastructure and already established supply contracts with retailers. dps Ltd (United Kingdom) is an example of a dedicated supplier for Marks & Spencer and Tesco, among other retailers. Their standards and the preparation time to become a supplier can be extensive, but in return they do strive for long-term partnerships.

If you cannot comply with the high service level or guaranteed supply contracts that are required by large retailers, it is best to work with an importer that has a diverse network of clients. An example of a key player is Widmann from Germany, the largest blueberry importer in the country. They have supermarket programmes, but also serve wholesale clients. With its own production in different countries and partnerships all over the world, Widmann is an example of a grower that has become a vertically-integrated company with worldwide operations.

4. What competition do you face on the European blueberry market?

The scale of your operation and your professional performance determine your competitive advantage in the blueberry market. Over the years the offer has diversified with new players, improved varieties and cultivation technologies. The entry costs to start your own production are high. Seasonality is the other main factor that defines your competition. It is important to monitor the increasing competition and the fast-planting rates worldwide in relation to demand.

Which countries are you competing with?

In the southern hemisphere, Peru, Chile and South Africa are strong suppliers (Table 2). In the north, your principal competitors are European producers, such as those in Spain and Poland. Morocco is the strongest non-European competitor that competes within the European season. These supply seasons change quickly (see supply calendar in Figure 4). There is a search for new blueberry-producing countries to reduce dependence on Peru. This is why countries such as Zimbabwe, Ukraine, and Georgia are increasingly resonating with buyers.

When local production is abundantly available, it is difficult for long-distance suppliers to sell to the European market. Recent logistical challenges and increasing attention to carbon footprints have further tipped the scales in favour of local blueberries. In fact, as pointed out in the market potential section of this study, blueberry production is on the rise in most European countries. 

Table 2: Main 10 exporters of blueberries to Europe, in 1,000 tonnes, 2019-2023

Source: ITC Trade Map, 2024

Note: European suppliers are marked in italics

Source: ITC Trade Map, 2024

Figure 4: Indicative blueberry supply calendar to Europe

Source: ICI Business and Dana Chahin

Peru: booming in blueberries

In less than a decade, Peruvian producers have built up a new blueberry sector, becoming the world’s top exporters. Peru has had exponential growth in blueberry cultivation in the last five years, most of which was exported. In 2023, Peru exported a total volume of 206,584 tonnes, representing a 25% decline from 2022 due to rough weather conditions caused by the El Niño phenomenon. Despite weather challenges, Peru expanded its cultivation areas in 2023 and the predictions for future production levels remain positive. 

Although most Peruvian blueberries are shipped to the United States, Peru has become the largest non-European supplier to Europe. Europe imported a value of €504 million in 2023 (see figure 3). Keep in mind that Peru and Chile have an overlapping harvest season at the end of the year, with volumes and competition increasing as a result. 

Peruvian growers mostly rely on the Ventura and Biloxi cultivars, but new genetics and more blueberry varieties are being introduced. There are now up to 62 blueberry varieties under development or in the patent application stage and experts have projected that 120,000 tonnes of the more than 300,000 tonnes that Peru could export in 2025, will be of new varieties. In terms of organic, Peru exported 30,634 tons of organic blueberries in 2023, which represented a 13% decline compared to 2022. However, Peru is still the main supplier worldwide.

In Peru, 30% of blueberry production comes from small producers. Cultivation areas vary between 5 and 50 hectares, in contrast to larger companies’ areas with more than 1,000 hectares. The large presence of small producers is both a strength and a weakness for Peru. The scattered production over different areas gives producers the advantage of prolonging their harvest season. On the other hand, consistency in quality and agricultural practices may vary among small growers.

Morocco: the advantage of proximity

Morocco is an up-and-coming producer of blueberries. Plantations came into use in 2005. In the last 15 years, the area under blueberry cultivation has increased more than 15-fold. Most of the Moroccan production goes to the European market. European import levels reached a value of nearly €360 million in 2023, almost double the value recorded just five years earlier.

Morocco offers a good climate for blueberries and the harvest starts before Spain’s. With relatively low labour costs and close proximity to the European market, Moroccan producers can compete well with producers in Southern Europe.

The Moroccan government has made agricultural development a priority, encouraging private investment and exports. Several companies have invested in Moroccan blueberries: Australia’s Costa Group became a majority stakeholder in African Blue in 2017. Several Spanish companies have invested in cultivation in Morocco, such as the Spanish company Fresh Royal with its own blueberry plantations. To a certain extent, Morocco’s production relies on foreign investment, but it has a strong advantage in the early season and direct connection with the European and Spanish market.

Chile: leading in experience

Chilean companies are highly experienced in breeding and cultivating some of the best blueberries in the world. Today, they are exploring production growth in other countries such as Peru and Mexico. For a long time, Chile was the leader in blueberry export in the southern hemisphere, but in 2019 they were overtaken by Peru’s booming export. With a large north to south stretch, these two countries together are able to fulfil the whole off-season blueberry period in Europe.

European imports of Chilean blueberries were valued at €169 million in 2023, showing a 2.7% decline over the past five years. Most blueberries exported to Europe are shipped to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, but Germany and Spain have also maintained constant but lower import volumes from Chile.

Due to increasing competition from Peru and Morocco, the Chilean blueberry sector has seen the need to keep improving quality to maintain its leading role. You can expect growers in Chile to be innovative in production. They have increased organic production, for example. According to the International Blueberry Organisation (IBO), 25% of blueberry area under cultivation in Chile is organic. In 2023, Chile saw a slight increase in its total organic blueberry exports compared to 2022, reaching 14,752 tonnes.

Varieties renewal is also part of the country’s ongoing efforts to maintain its position in the world, as Chile currently exports mainly traditional varieties such as Biloxi, Legacy and Duke. For the 2024/2025 season, the Chilean Blueberry Committee expects new varieties shipments to increase by 26%, reaching more than 16,000 tonnes. 

The experience and the advanced production knowledge in Chile raise the bar for new exporters. To compete with Chilean blueberry companies, you must be able to provide an equal quality level or distinguish yourself in another way, such as being closer to the European market.

South Africa: putting itself on the blueberry map

Unlike South American suppliers, South Africa mainly directs its blueberry export to Europe. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom are the main importing markets. The European import of South African blueberries passed the value of €100 million for the first time in 2021 and since then has grown to reach €157 million in 2023. 

Thanks to a rising production, South Africa has become one of the main suppliers to Europe and its blueberry industry is the fastest-growing horticultural industry in South Africa. The next IBO summit will be held in South Africa in 2025, highlighting the increasing role of Southern Africa in the worldwide blueberry sector.

South Africa has faced challenges such as port delays and power outages that affect the cold storage of the blueberries. Although the country has also faced production shortages, South Africa’s production in 2023 was not as limited as in other producing countries. General export volumes declined only by 2%, and exports to Europe declined by 8%. Additionally, the general price upsurges even benefited growers and exporters. 

The blueberry sector is dominated by a few large companies. Deep integration of South African businesses with British companies secures a market in Europe for South African blueberries. This is the case for Driscolls’s partnership with Haygrove’s blueberry production in South Africa and BerryWorld’s joint venture with South African grower Trevor McKenzie. The latest opening of a large Fall Creek nursery and the partnership between blueberry breeder Planasa and TopFruit South Africa, have contributed to diversity and new genetics for growers.

Which companies are you competing with?

There are several successful blueberry suppliers in various parts of the world and what they all have in common is a direct link with cultivation, often of different varieties. They have the ability and financial means to scale up and find strategic alliances. Successful companies can reinvest their profits in new genetics and foreign acquisitions, a necessity to remain competitive. 

Camposol: leading in volume and marketing

Camposol is the leading Peruvian exporter of blueberries. Their huge volumes and strong marketing allow them to trade with many large supermarket chains worldwide. Camposol has more than 3,000 hectares and expects to increase its blueberry output to 100,000 tonnes in next years through varietal replacement and the addition of new land. Their latest innovation is their new in-house developed variety La Chola, characterised by its high yield, firmness, large berry size and high brix.

Hortifrut: integrated from breeding to trade

Hortifrut is a global player in the blueberry sector headquartered in Chile. It is a highly integrated company, both vertically and in production. The company has genetic breeding and cultivation alliances throughout the world. Hortifrut recently launched a virtual reality tool for consumers and trade professionals. The tool – Berry reality – allows users to take a virtual tour of their farms in Peru, Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

In Europe, Hortifrut and the Spanish company Atlantic Blue founded Euroberry Marketing to commercialise blueberries throughout Europe. Hortifrut’s combination of breeding technology with year-round production offers them a strong competitive advantage. Having easy access to different varieties of blueberries and an integrated supply chain make it easier to negotiate bigger contracts with large buyers. 

United Exports: using different origins

The international cultivation and breeding company United Exports is one of the largest producers in South Africa and has cultivation in key origins such as the United States, Peru, Chile, Australia, Mexico, Spain and Zambia. They prove the importance of combining different growing seasons. They have developed their own unique breeding programme with OZblu blueberries. Europe is one of their main targets, servicing supermarkets such as Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, Lidl and Albert Heijn.

Which products are you competing with?

The biggest advantage of blueberries over other berries and soft fruit, is that they have a longer shelf life, a good quality throughout the year and are relatively easier to transport. Because it is a less traditional fruit, consumers have become used to the year-round availability of blueberries. This means the supply period is much longer and stable than traditionally consumed soft fruit, such as strawberries, or stone fruit. This also explains why blueberries are the most frequently-imported berry by Europe from developing countries (Figure 5).

Source: ITC Trade Map, 2024

Because it is strongly promoted as a healthy product, blueberries have gained popularity over other soft fruit. However, when prices for blueberries go up too much, it can be a reason for consumers to switch to other fruit or choose frozen blueberries. Frozen and processed blueberries are generally cheaper and just as easy to use. Yet, fresh fruit is still the main product form of global blueberry production: according to the 2024 IBO report, 70% of the total output in 2023 was fresh instead of processed.

5. What are the prices of blueberries on the European market?

Until 2016, the demand was large enough for prices to rise, but after 2017 production volumes pushed prices back to the level of 2014. Prices in 2023 increased due to production shortages everywhere, but mainly in Peru, where the shortage was caused by the El Niño phenomenon. Price levels in the future will depend on developing production worldwide. 

In 2024, exporter prices for normal-to-high segmented blueberries have fluctuated between €6 and €8 per kilo (FOB). The actual prices will depend on the supply levels in the market, but also on the quality of your product. Prices can also vary depending on the destination market. The most accurate way to be informed about prices is to talk to your clients. If you work with an importing company or trader, expect to pay them around 8% commission on their sales prices, plus handling costs.

Retail prices range between €12 and €32 per kilo, depending on the country and the origin. Small packages with premium blueberries are the most expensive. Organic blueberries are sometimes sold for more than €30/kg. You can monitor retail prices by visiting the websites of leading European supermarkets, such as Mercadona (Spain), Rewe (Germany) or Sainsbury’s (United Kingdom). Italian Berry publishes retail prices on the Italian market. 

Be aware that retail prices have no relation to trade prices. When availability is very high, supermarkets tend to have additional promotions to help sell the extra volumes. Supermarket margins and costs are the highest in the supply chain (see Figure 6). 

Source: ICI Business

ICI Business carried out this study in partnership with Dana Chahin on behalf of CBI. 

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