Spanish soft-fruit cooperative Onuba Fruit has become the first international member of UK trade body British Summer Fruits (BSF).
BSF, which markets berries to UK retailers and consumers, said Onuba’s membership will help promotion of year-round supply. The body represents around 98 per cent of British soft fruit sold at retail, and is aiming to reach 100 per cent.
Onuba Fruit represents berry cooperatives from across the Huelva region, including from Costa de Huelva, Cobella, Cartayfres, SAT Condado and Freslucena.
BSF chairman Laurence Olins said: “We are delighted to be expanding our membership internationally in order to promote berries to UK supermarkets all year round, and to continue to grow the soft fruits category. As a result, British Summer Fruits now accounts for virtually all berries supplied to the UK’s leading supermarkets.
“We aim to represent 100 per cent of the industry, and this successful six months is an indicator of the strength of our work and the confidence of our suppliers in the results we achieve.”
Carlos Esteve, commercial director at Onuba Fruit, said: “British Summer Fruits and its Seasonal Berries campaign are a powerful voice for the soft fruit industry in the UK, and we are thrilled to be joining them in promoting soft fruits to UK supermarkets and their customers.
“As the first international associate member, we hope to enforce the strength of the soft fruit category all year round, and are pleased to join efforts to raise awareness and consumption of fresh berries.”
BSF has run the annual Seasonal Berries marketing campaign since 2004, using London agency Red Brick Road to create one cogent message.
Berry sales accounted for 21 per cent of total fruit consumption in the UK in the last year, BSF said, becoming the largest fresh fruit category. Consumption of berries in the UK has grown by an impressive 132 per cent across the decade, outstripping the 49 per cent increase of fruit consumption as a whole.
