Asiafruit Knowledge Centre: Could Asia’s berry boom move beyond China?

The berry category in Asia has been expanding rapidly both in terms of consumer demand and production levels – particularly in mainland China. The sustained growth has been a key factor in the boom experienced across the global industry over the past decade, and its continued development could make way for a slew of new varieties, grown to withstand Asia’s differing climatic conditions as well as catering to the flavour profiles of Asian consumers. These were some of the key takeaways from an Asiafruit Congress panel discussion spotlighting Asia’s berry boom at Asia Fruit Logistica in September. “We’ve been on this journey for a decade now,” said Henk Vaandrager, general manager at blueberry breeder Fall Creek China. “Especially in the last three to four years, we’ve seen a lot of competitors mimic how we produce berries, and I think that is an indicator of the belief in the category – people don’t just aimlessly go and invest money into things that they don’t have a belief in.” ...