This year's International Blueberry Conference provided clear information for the industry. The blueberry market is constantly developing. Demand for the fruit is high, and the chance for even better sales lies in market segmentation and introducing new product categories to the offer. The development of export to non-European markets may also help to obtain higher blueberry prices.
The International Blueberry Conference 2025 has once again proven that it is an important part of the blueberry industry. The event, which took place on March 6 and 7, gathered over 500 blueberry market participants.
Direction: Premiumization
The motto of this year's International Blueberry Conference was "Premium or Standard." This topic was discussed in more detail during the debate but also appeared in other lectures. For example, Marcin Wereszczuk from Fall Creek emphasized the desire of merchants and consumers toward Premium quality. Premiumization is a growth strategy. "Thanks to better quality, we can convince consumers to pay more for a product," said the expert from Fall Creek. Better quality can be visible in the properties of blueberries themselves, such as their size, appearance, and taste. The way they are packaged and displayed on the store shelf (shakers, ready-to-eat products) plays a significant role as well.
30% of Polish blueberries are exported
In recent years, 60–68 thousand tons of blueberries have been produced in Poland every year. As Tomasz Czerniak from GPO Polskie Jagody (Polish Blueberries) reported, about 30% of this volume is intended for export. In 2023, the largest recipients of Polish blueberries were Germany (9,240 t), Great Britain (4,260 t), and the Netherlands (1,190 t). According to PIORiN data, in 2022–2024, the largest importers of Polish blueberries among non-EU countries were Ukraine, Serbia, Belarus, and Moldova. Other recipients from outside Europe are Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. Selling blueberries to those markets is a very attractive direction. It requires proper preparation of the fruit and ensuring stable conditions during transport (usually by air). It is currently a big challenge for exporters.
Diversifying blueberry sales could be crucial
This was also confirmed by the participants of the debate led by Dominika Kozarzewska from GPO Polskie Jagody (Polish Blueberries). "At the moment, we need to diversify sales markets," said Piotr Syguła from Berry Trade. "Our goal in a few years is to distribute sales in such a way that comparable quantities of blueberries are delivered to the domestic market, to our European customers, and non-European countries." On the other hand, it is advisable to work towards diversifying the offer for customers. "We see that the standard level is rising, but the demand for the Premium category is also growing. There is an increasing group of customers who are willing to pay more for better quality blueberries, offering them better taste experiences or a quality guarantee. The importance of the organic category or local products is growing in some markets," said Rick Hensgens representing Frutania.
The 13th International Blueberry Conference provided many interesting observations for the blueberry market participants. The trend of consuming more and more blueberries in many European countries is certainly positive. However, in order to maintain it, it is necessary to move towards better and better quality fruit. Therefore, the directions of Premium fruit and acquiring new recipients for fruits seem to be the most correct for a better future for blueberry farms in Europe.
For more information:
Mariusz Podymniak
Blueberry Conference 2025
Tel: +48 608 500501
Email: mariusz.podymniak@hortusmedia.pl
www.konferencjaborowkowa.pl