Following a successful launch in the US in 2019, Driscoll’s is preparing to introduce its premium soft fruit range in Germany and the Middle East
Driscoll’s is set to introduce its premium berry range Sweetest Batch to selected retailers in Germany and the Middle East in 2025.
The top-tier offering will initially be made available in blueberries and blackberries. Only a selection of their varieties will make it to this tier as it promises to deliver the best eating experience.
The supplier revealed that the UK market will follow, but for now, the focus will be on launching the core Driscoll’s brand into the region.
Driscoll’s only introduced its brand to UK consumers in 2024, launching branded paper packs into Morrisons, Whole Foods Market, Booths, and independent grocery stores.
The Sweetest Batch range was first launched in the US, where Driscoll’s is headquartered, back in 2019. And the company says it has “made a significant impact”.
The Australian market followed in 2022, with Driscoll’s selling Tasmanian-grown strawberries of its Zara variety from December to March.
As the name suggests, Sweetest Batch only includes Driscoll’s highest-Brix varieties (from a select group of growers) but doesn’t name those varieties on pack.
The company says its new premium segment is “devoted to delivering an exceptionally sweet flavour experience” and only features “proprietary varieties, specifically selected for their extra-sweet profile”.
Driscoll’s adds that its selected Sweetest Batch growers follow “meticulous” harvesting practices, “ensuring that each berry reaches peak sweetness”.
In addition, the selected varieties offer “lots of juiciness” and well-balanced sweetness/tartness
There is generally less tiering in European berry markets than in the UK’s, but Driscoll’s sees opportunities in this area.
Product manager and so-called ‘Berryista’, Jana Lehmann, told Fruitnet: “The UK market is used to tiering, whereas in Germany you don’t really see it yet. But there is strong demand for premium soft fruit in Germany and other European markets.
“Berries have now become part of daily diets, so we believe it’s time to add some new flavours to the category. Flavour has always been at the heart of Driscoll’s strategy, so we are extremely excited to launch this programme.”
She added that the concept is “ready to sell”, but the launch will be staggered as every Sweetest Batch berry “needs to deliver exceptional sweetness, as promised”.
“We see a lot of excitement within our customer base. We are now planning sales programmes with selected customers – mainly in Germany, but also in the Middle East, and I think the UK in future, so that’s really exciting.
“We will only put berries in the Sweetest Batch if we’re 100 per cent certain they are good enough, so sometimes we might not be able to deliver the fruit. But it’s really important that the quality is carefully controlled to ensure every berry lives up to our promise of being the sweetest of the sweet.
“Our selected growers will send in samples of berries to be quality-checked by Driscoll’s, and if they are sweet and flavoursome enough, they will make it to the Driscoll’s Sweetest Batch concept.”
