More than 20 years ago, brothers Daniel and Javier Velo decided to take advantage of their father's forest and agricultural land to bet on a crop that had never been planted before in Huelva, and which was going to help them stand out in the middle of the strawberry boom. We are talking about blackberries. Ever since, Agrícola el Bosque, which is part of the Plus Berries group, has become a specialist and undisputed leader in this berry's cultivation, with around 50% of its production in Huelva.
Its headquarters are located in the El Bosque farm, in Lucena del Puerto, which has some Mediterranean forest in the surroundings of Doñana. This is a place where agriculture coexists in perfect balance with a highly diverse ecosystem. It also has a rich history dating back to the dukes of Medina Sidonia, in the fifteenth century, although there are hardly any remains of the castle that stood on one of its hills back in the day.
Daniel Velo
"We have grown significantly in the last 7 years, from a single farm to seven, located in the producing areas of Rociana, Moguer, Palos de la Frontera, Cartaya and Lepe. Our annual production amounts to around 1400 tons," said Daniel Velo, partner of Agrícola el Bosque. "Although this is a quantum leap, our business model is based on first generating the demand and then scheduling the production based on our clients' demands. That way, we avoid harmful market fluctuations," he adds.
Although they started producing only during the natural season in Huelva, between April and May, after all these years of experience and research, they have managed to break the seasonality and produce blackberries all year round. To this end, this year they also have a 5-hectare multi-chapel greenhouse for winter production, which makes it possible to have two productive cycles during this period, guaranteeing maximum efficiency in the production processes.
One of the company's great achievements has been entering the domestic market, managing to become Mercadona's supplier last year (this is Spain's biggest retailer). "Although geographically it is the closest, the Spanish market has always been (metaphorically) the furthest in terms of berry consumption, especially if we're talking about blackberries. The promotions focusing on their health benefits, carried out by Plus Berries in schools, social media and other media, have played a key role. Furthermore, we have obtained a variety that has that sweet taste that Spanish consumers really like. The fact that we are working with Mercadona and that we can supply all year round will allow us to consolidate in this market," says Daniel Velo.
Outside Spain, Plus Berries distributes its berries mainly in European markets. "The United Kingdom has traditionally always been a market with a good consumption of berries, and in recent years the demand has also grown tremendously in Germany. In other European countries where we ship our berries, such as Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy or Denmark, the growth is more moderate. Also worth noting are the air shipments we make to the Middle East since 2013, although these exports are only carried out at specific times during the spring season," says Daniel Velo.
The biggest competitor for Spanish blackberries is Mexico, where "the fruit can be produced all year round, without the same amount of effort and much lower production costs compared to Huelva. This allows them to offer very competitive prices, even despite the expensive air freight required to ship the product to Europe. Although Mexico's main market is the United States, in recent years it has managed to venture into Europe and significantly increase its sales, helped by a favorable currency exchange rate. The competition is quite strong today, unlike in the days when the firm was just starting. Back then, it was Europe's only supplier. In order to try standing out from its Mexican competitors, the European company aims to guarantee the supply of top quality fruit all year round and a service tailored to the needs of its customers, backed by its more than 20 years' experience with the "La Canastita" brand, as well as by the work of producers who have reached the highest degree of specialization possible in this crop," says the producer.
The company started with varieties from the United States, although over time they have introduced new varieties and improved the traditional ones to adapt them to the conditions of Huelva's production areas and obtain a year round supply. According to the producer, "the current global situation is forcing us to innovate and research constantly, seeking new varieties and the improvement of traditional varieties with higher yields, a longer shelf life, a better flavor and greater resistance to pests."
Berries are considered the most delicate berry during their harvest and handling, so it is essential to have a highly specialized workforce. Although in the peak of the strawberry campaign, which coincides with that of most berries, there has been a growing lack of laborers in Huelva in recent campaigns, this is not the case for this company. "We make a great effort in the training of workers, and many of them choose to stay with us in the long term. Since we have a year round production, we are not as affected during the spring period, which is when most berries usually reach their peak in terms of volume."
"We strive to grow in a natural environment, while making use of cutting-edge and sustainable production techniques from an environmental, economic and social perspective. On a commercial level, we differentiate ourselves with the specialization model of the Plus Berries group, with all the producers sharing the same philosophy," concludes Daniel Velo.
For more information:
Daniel Velo Prieto (Administrative Director)
Agrícola El Bosque S.L.
+34 959051090
+34 639770024
[email protected]
www.plusberries.com