The French strawberry season is just getting underway, with the famous Gariguette gradually establishing itself on the market, and larger volumes that should be arriving in about 10 days. The producers' association Strawberries Raspberries of France, which has 600 producers and 36 members representing almost 50% of French strawberry production, shares its strategy based on taste to stand out from the competition.
© Strawberries Raspberries of France
A strategy of differentiation through taste
For several decades now, the French strawberry sector has chosen to distinguish itself from foreign competition by focusing on taste. Unlike Californian strawberry varieties, which are mainly exported because they are more robust, French strawberry varieties, such as the Ciflorette, Gariguette, Mara des Bois, and Charlotte, are selected for their taste quality. "France would not be competitive in producing strawberries for export, given its production and labor costs. The sector therefore found another way of differentiating itself, focusing on taste and the domestic market," explains Emeline Vanespen, director of the producers' association.
Taste: "a criterion that cannot be ignored"
The Invenio experimentation station, based in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is responsible for creating and selecting these taste varieties. It already has the Ciflorette, Charlotte, and, most recently in 2022, the Chloé variety. The principle of varietal selection is based on crossing different strawberries to identify the best genetic combinations. Yield, disease resistance, and taste are the 3 main selection criteria used by Invenio members. "Finding a balance between these three elements is a challenge because taste and yield are often contradictory. But while other fruit and vegetable sectors focus on yield and disease resistance, strawberries are the only crop where taste remains an essential criterion for consumers, and one that cannot be ignored," explains Sébastien Cavaignac, station manager. Thanks to computer technology, this varietal selection is now assisted by molecular markers. More than 300 molecules have been identified in strawberries, and it is their balance that defines their taste. Although certain undesirable markers can be eliminated, the final selection is still based on human expertise. Invenio therefore organizes blind tastings for informed audiences (growers, nurserymen…). The selected varieties are then tested for 3 years before being put on the market.
In order to achieve this taste objective, varietal selection is essential, but so are production methods (substrate, irrigation control…). Before being placed on the shelves, the strawberries also undergo meticulous quality control: color, shape, size, and sugar content. This last criterion is increasingly required by the specifications of supermarkets.
For more information:
Fraises Framboises de France
Agropôle – Bâtiment Agrotec – BP 222
47 931 Agen
Phone: +33(0)5 53 77 24 48
[email protected]
