The newly formed Blackcurrant Foundation is hoping blackcurrants can emulate the success of blueberries in the UK market and could meet a growth in demand by adopting growing techniques used for strawberries and raspberries.
"The success of the blueberry campaign shows the extent of consumer interesting the health-promoting qualities of fresh fruits," foundation member John Hinchliff told freshinfo. "Our British blackcurrants are bred and renowned for their deep purple colour, which indicates a high level of anti-oxidants.
To meet its goals the foundation has launched an awareness campaign to run the length of the season this summer. It will focus on the fresh product as well as juices and blackcurrants as ingredients in manufactured products.
"This is a real opportunity for retailers to include more blackcurrants in their products and on their shelves as more consumers opt to eat or drink blackcurrants as part of a healthy lifestyle," said Hinchliff. "It is also a chance to support home-grown produce."
The foundation's members grow on 2,000 hectares in the UK and Ireland and produce 14,000 tonnes of the fruit annually. Their season runs for just two months through July and August, although season extension is a possibility. "We have already extended the season by using different varieties which ripen at different times and there is scope to continue this," said Hinchliff. "If demand for a substantially longer season emerges, the industry would be able to meet this by adopting growing techniques similar to those of other soft fruit crops, namely strawberries and raspberries."
The most widely grown variety in the UK is Ben Hope, which was released by the SCRI in 1998.
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