"Over the past five to six years, the requests for blueberries have increased enormously. Sales are non-stop, 12 months a year, and consumers are looking for the product beyond its origin and price," said Giampaolo Ferri, buyer at the Coop Adriatica.
Giampaolo Ferri
"In these first days of May, we are starting to see the first Italian products but most of the crops are still foreign, mostly from Spain. The selling price fluctuates during the year. It also depends on the packaging format and on possible offers, but in this period, on average, it ranges between €16,00 and €19,00 per kilo".
Consumption is also clearly increasing compared to 2020, with a stable growth trend recorded over the last 5-6 years. A fundamental aspect is the shelf-life. The longer the shelf-life of a product, the more it is sought after, and blueberries fall into this category.
As for packaging sizes, they range from the classic 125-gram tubs, which still guarantee a more affordable price, to the 300- and 500-gram sizes. "We also tried a few 1 kg packs and sales went well. However, there is still considerable potential for improvement. A next step could be calibration because, at the moment, there are blueberries of different sizes in the packages, without there being a regulation governing this aspect," continued Ferri.
"Blueberry is a superfood that is mostly purchased for its nutritional value. It is a key ingredient or component of many processed products, but over the last few years the increase for fresh products has been exponential. We also offer organic products and, at certain times, even a zero-residue product, produced in Italy," concluded Giampaolo Ferri.