New packaging formats are fuelling US demand for fresh berries, according to leading soft fruit marketer Naturipe Farms.

Speaking to Fruitnet, international sales director Clay Wittmeyer said innovative offerings such as the company’s Bouquet Long Stem Strawberry packs were proving popular with consumers and driving sales within the category.

The company has several blueberry pack sizes coming onto the market including a new heat-seal pack that significantly reduces the use of plastic. It pioneered the 1-lb pack as the standard size in the US and Wittmeyer claims consumers’ willingness to buy the larger packs throughout the year demonstrated the strength of demand.

“Mighty Blues, our extra large berries packed in a unique 9-oz square clamshell, are selling out as fast as we can fill them,” he said. “We also continue to increase sales in our ready-to-eat line and have several new fruit blends coming onto the shelves in the coming months.”

Wittmeyer predicted that per capita consumption for all berries would continue to grow thanks to the development of new, more flavourful varieties and more research into how berries are beneficial to health.

“We see tremendous opportunity to expand berry sales across the globe and we are just scratching the surface in many of the developing markets,” he said. “The consistent supply of premium quality and extended shelf life – by which I mean extending the holding period at the peak of flavour – will allow us to ship over longer distances and expand demand and distribution of berries around the world.”

06/24/2015

Fruitnet