“The berries have good sugar levels and a good balance between sweetness and acidity,” said Jean-Pierre Caruel of Nergi. Harvesting of the fruit is expected to last through mid September and the availability to November, though balancing customer obligations and stretching out availability could cut the season short by a few days.
The Nergi berry is harvested in France, Portugal and Italy, with the Italy's production expected to ramp up next week. Germany is the most popular shipping destination for the variety, though the fruit also has a presence in France, Italy, Scandinavia, Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Asian markets are being explored as areas for potential new sales.
“We shipped 1 million punnets last year, and this year we're expecting to move 3 million,” said Jean-Pierre. “We want to have yearly output between 15 million and 20 million by the next five years.” The berry is distributed by four partners: Primland, PortPrimland in Portugal, Ortofruit in Italy and Fruitworld. Marketing efforts have focused on educating potential consumers through several channels.
“We've put money and energy in working through social networks,” explained Jean-Pierre. “We don't have a huge marketing operation, so we focus on social networks and engaging with bloggers and consumers online. The second part of our marketing strategy is engaging with buyers at retail locations throughout Europe, and that has also been successful.”
For more information, please visit: nergi.info
