The berry fruit industry needs to rethink its marketing strategy and focus on branding

There’s not much to brighten the lives of the fresh produce industry at present as drought is swamped by flooding in many parts of the country within days of hearing there is a double-dip recession.

All the more joyful therefore to report from the recent Global Berry Congress that against all the odds UK sales are booming, through a combination of the right varieties, strong marketing and promotional campaigns funded by the industry itself.

That said, the presentations and debates to an audience spread from China to South America still reflected the differences in how the industry views the future path they will be treading.

Internationally, strawberries of course are the big hitter. But while available year round, in the UK without doubt summer demand remains the key, giving the fruit premier position in terms of popularity and increasing sales.

How different it is only 22 miles across the Channel when judged by the same criteria. On the continent, they are far further down the league table at fifth or sixth place, as the plethora of alternative fruit crops available nationally or from sources just over the borders creates a far greater sense of seasonality.

This fact was evident when years ago I was appointed to a judging panel in the Languedoc-Roussillon to find the winning regional retailer. Local strawberries were on offer and consumers were also looking forward to the first peaches and then nectarines, followed in succession by apricots and kiwifruit before early varieties of summer pears and then apples.

Perhaps the reason for the divergence of opinion in the audience over the future of berry-fruit branding is to some degree becoming established in mainland Europe because of the need to shout louder and proclaim quality. But according to the views from the platform, the idea does not tick all the boxes when it comes to British fruit.

It is often argued that the Union Jack prominently displayed on fruit has the same effect, but are retailers missing a trick?

Many years ago when a marketing guru was appointed to run the Apple & Pear Development Council, he identified Cox, Bramley, Worcesters and Egremont Russets as brands in their own right.

Consumers are paying more attention to both strawberry and raspberry varieties bred to appeal to difference preferences for taste, colour and shape, so berry fruit may already be poised to move along the same route.

In fact it may have already done so with the success of the Jubilee variety, and many others, much improved, coming up fast behind. The question is how long will this take? -