British fruit grower Hall Hunter reports record year for its UK blueberry crop
UK grower Hall Hunter, which specialises in British blueberries, says it produced record volumes this year and is on track to supply more.
The Berkshire and Surrey-based producer expects to grow at least 20 per cent more blueberries in 2025 following the purchase of a fourth farm – making it responsible for nearly 50 per cent of all blueberries grown in the UK.
This latest expansion is part of Hall Hunter’s ambition to grow more of the country’s blueberry supply – which at present accounts for only 10 per cent of total blueberries sold in the UK.
To that end, the 350ha grower this year invested more than £2m in technology to improve its harvesting and packing processes.
Its latest AI grading machine packs 40kg of blueberries per minute - 10 times the rate of any human. While its Harvey 500 Harvester is able to harvest the fruit at a rate of 600kg/h.
Hall Hunter also committed to an investment of over £3m this year to create multiple solar energy solutions across its Berkshire-based Heathlands and Surrey-based Tuesley Farms to help save on energy bills.
The business has a projected turnover of £50m.
