Berry Gardens has underlined its commitment to developing skills and young talent in horticulture by launching a new management development programme.
The two-year programme offers participants four six-month secondments to gain a broad experience of the soft-fruit industry, combined with dedicated leadership and management training as well as continuous professional development resulting in an ILM-accredited qualification.
Berry Gardens is working with sixth form colleges and will be visiting a range of universities and colleges over the autumn to promote the scheme, which will start in September 2019.
Alastair Brooks, chairman of Berry Gardens, said: “As a co-operative our growers continue to lead the way in terms of sustainability and promoting fresh produce as a significant UK industry.
“Several of our growers supported Open Farm Sunday this year with over 2,000 members of the public seeing first hand how soft fruit is grown.”
The company also sponsors The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers Student Prize, which was won this year by newly graduated Jed Knaggs.
Knaggs was awarded £1,000 after completing his agriculture degree, going on to join Bradon Soft Fruit Farm as a grower. Master Fruiterer John Warner and Brooks presented the cheque to Knaggs at Fruit Focus in Kent this week. Knaggs said he was “really proud” to receive the award.
Berry Gardens continues to expand on the back of growing market share in the berry categories. This year the business grew 3.7 per cent in the UK strawberry market, making up 38.3 per cent of the total market, with greater production of Driscoll’s Katrina varieties planned.
The company is also heavily promoting new sweeter Driscoll’s Victoria blackberries, with its tonnage doubling since 2015, to make up 35.5 per cent of the blackberry market.
Its new 15,000 sq ft office and packing facility is set for completion in autumn 2019.
