From the South to the World
By Miguel Bentin
The 2025 IBO Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, arrived after intense years for the industry — giving it a special significance. We learned about ubuntu — “I am because we are” — a concept that perfectly captures what the blueberry sector needs today: an industry that understands the future depends on active collaboration, aligning interests, and working as a global network that learns, shares, and grows stronger together.
During my participation in a panel, I recalled another Summit — in 2015, in Coffs Harbour, Australia — when David Hughes said something that feels even more relevant today: “Don’t let blueberries go bananas.” At the time, it sounded like a lighthearted comment, but it carried a warning: if everyone produces the same thing in the same way, blueberries become generic. Ten years later, that reflection is more accurate than ever.
The Southern Hemisphere has been the driving force behind global growth over the past decade. Chile, which led the first era of blueberries, was the first to show that this industry could develop in a modern, competitive, and sustainable way. Argentina and Uruguay joined that early momentum, and then Peru took the lead, bringing the industry to a new scale. Productive capacity, logistical efficiency, and regional complementarity have reshaped the map of global consumption. Blueberries are no longer a seasonal product — they are available year-round. Demand has grown, but the challenge today is different: to keep growing wisely and with a shared purpose.
According to RaboResearch, the research division of Rabobank (2025), between 2010 and 2024, U.S. blueberry imports tripled, while imports into the European Union (EU-27) doubled — without prices collapsing. Global demand not only absorbed a historic increase in supply; it did so without eroding value. As retailers often say, “If it isn’t on the shelf, it doesn’t exist.” The constant presence of blueberries on store shelves throughout all 52 weeks of the year has been key to strengthening consumer habits.
The same report, however, shows that the U.S. market remains highly concentrated: just 10% of buyers account for 46% of sales, and 5% for 35%. That concentration sends a clear message — there is room to grow in penetration, not just in volume. Expanding the buyer base, diversifying channels, and reaching new consumer segments will be essential to ensure sustainable and more inclusive growth in the U.S. market.
Growing demand through supply pressure is possible — but it is the most expensive and least strategic way to do it. Each period of oversupply may boost consumption and reach new audiences, but at the cost of profitability. It is growth by impulse, not by design. The sustainable path is the opposite: to first build the demand that will later be supplied. Today’s strong supply should inspire tomorrow’s demand, not force it.
Focused and coordinated promotion is an investment, not an expense. Promotion means more than communication; it means educating consumers, explaining why the product has value, and reinforcing trust with every experience. When that happens, the category sustains itself.
Blueberries are now reaching spaces that once seemed distant — snack aisles, children’s products, and on-the-go formats. Their presence in these everyday spots, under the concept of healthy snacking, expands consumption opportunities and brings the fruit closer to new audiences. The challenge is to sell more by diversifying positioning.
Every new origin joining the global map must add value. There is no room for indifferent fruit. The development of Northern Highbush genetics opens the door to complement southern production with quality and consistency. The challenge is to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving environment — one that demands advanced genetics, technology, logistical efficiency, and diversification across formats and channels. The future of blueberries will be diverse, flexible, and closely aligned with consumer habits.
Peru, as the world’s leading exporter, faces the challenge of sustaining leadership with vision and coherence. It is not only about volume or productivity — it is about ensuring that each step strengthens the collective reputation of the Southern Hemisphere. Chile continues to contribute vast technical expertise and a deep agricultural culture that shaped the region, and that shared learning remains essential for what comes next. The next stage will not be measured in hectares or tons, but in our ability to innovate, maintain quality, and consolidate value year after year.
Meanwhile, new development hubs are gaining traction. South Africa is already a reality, showing promising growth that reinforces the Southern Hemisphere’s presence in global supply. Zimbabwe and Namibia are beginning to show their potential to follow that path. Morocco — though in the Northern Hemisphere — has become a key supplier for Europe, demonstrating how different origins can balance and elevate the category. In South America, Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador are advancing with projects that could soon join the export flow. But there is no room for improvisation: every new participant must add value. Being present is no longer enough; one must be up to standard.
Ultimately, all this growth has a human dimension that must never be forgotten. Every technical improvement translates into well-being and development. Blueberries generate formal employment, drive rural economies, and provide the world with a healthy food. We sell health — and we produce it at the same time. It is an industry with a deeply positive, multidimensional impact, capable of improving lives, communities, and territories while nourishing the world.
The story of blueberries is not writing itself — we are writing it. What we do today will define how much this fruit will be worth in the future.
11-04-2025
IBO Editorial
