In Europe, Norway and Great Britain are real soft fruit countries. Consumption of blueberries and raspberries is higher in these countries. In the Netherlands and Belgium, strawberries are by far the most popular. The soft fruit market in Belgium is also growing. Jo Lambrecht, commercial manager at BelOrta, gives insight into the developments in the Belgian market.
Strawberries favourite
Strawberries are the favourite in Belgium, both in acreage and in consumption. The Belgian strawberry acreage, with about 1700 hectares, is comparable to the Dutch acreage. GfK PanelServices research, commissioned by VLAM, shows that over 76 percent of households in Belgium buy strawberries, which amounts to a consumption of 1.91 kilos per capita. “We’re seeing the soft fruit segment increase every year,” Jo says.
Berries are working their way up in Belgium, like in other countries. “There’s been an evolution. Berries are trending. Blueberries are doing well as a snack in particular,” Jo explains. “Year over year, we’re seeing interest from retail increase, and soft fruit is getting a more prominent place on the shelves.”
Increase in sales
In that respect, the Belgian market is still in the early stages. Supermarkets are experimenting with new packagings, different capacities, product ranges and varieties. “The raspberry and blueberry sales have shown a spectacular increase in recent years. Two of the most trending products from 2014, by the way, are blueberries and asparagus.”
Figures show that 21.42 percent of households regularly buy fresh raspberries through various channels. In consumption per capita, that amounts to 0.1 kilos a year. For blueberries, consumption per capita is 0.11 kilos, which puts the blueberry in second place. For all the other soft fruit, consumption is at 0.13 kilos per capita, and 11 percent of Belgian households buys this soft fruit.
Distorted picture figures
But blindly focusing on the figures is of little use, Jo explains. Not every type of berry will grow equally fast. While blueberry is an important player year-round, red berries do very well in the summer season, with another consumption spike around the holidays in December. Gooseberries are also popular among Belgians during the season. Other varieties, like the hardy kiwi and the Japanese honeyberry, are still small products. The latter really only is suitable for the restaurant business. “With the hardy kiwi, the first results are good, but it’s a continuous challenge to get consumer attention for this berry.”