Weathering El Niño with new berry varieties

Overview of blueberries from Peru in the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics. Original published on November 16, 2023.

Due to El Niño, the yearly warm ocean current appearing along the Peruvian coast around December, Peruvian blueberry production is down by more than 50%, leaving a gap in the world markets leading to higher prices in general.

Since the phenomenon occurs on a yearly basis, finding the right way to deal with the weather changes as a grower is crucial. Mastronardi Produce has invested in a year-round berry growing network and new varieties that can fill the gaps in the market.

“Our robust year-round berry growing network spans from Canada down to Chile, meaning we can provide full calendar coverage to our retail partners for year-round blueberry availability. With our retail strategies, we can maintain a healthy retail while driving consumption,” says Karan Kohli, Director of Berry Sales.

Sweet, yet resilient berries

Mastronardi Produce currently sells blueberries under the BerryWorld® and SUNSET® brands with a full portfolio of blueberry varieties and formats. The varieties under both brands are able to withstand the challenging weather conditions without losing out on quality and volumes.

nder the BerryWorld brand are the Blueberries, the XL Blueberries, and the Braspberry™, a convenient duo berry pack with blueberries and raspberries. Under the SUNSET brand are the Frooties™ Blueberries, which come in a small package but burst with a sweet flavor, conveniently portioned for lunch boxes or on-the-go snacking.

The Sunset brand will soon also launch the WOW® Joyberry™ Blueberries, boasting a firm snap to the skin, and a sweet and juicy interior, under the premium WOW berry line.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

“We are extremely excited to roll out our WOW Joyberry into the blueberry space. We have also seen tremendous growth on our BerryWorld XL Blueberries. As with all categories we enter, Mastronardi Produce is committed to continuing to innovate our berries and introduce new varietals that drive consumer demand,” Karan concludes.

The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.

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