How the Berry Market Affects the Produce Market

How the Berry Market Affects the Produce Market

How the Berry Market Affects the Produce Market. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

We talk a lot about the big fruit produced here in the northwest but what about small fruit, like strawberries and blueberries. John Johnston with Driscoll Strawberry Association talks about their impact on the retail market.

JOHNSTON: It starts with delighting the consumer and we want that consumer experience to meet or exceed their expectation every time they bite into a fresh berry. Not just some of the time but every time because if they’re not delighted, chances are we’re going to lose that customer either for a longtime, maybe for life.

That is part of the Driscoll mission and Johnston says they want their growers to understand that mission.

JOHNSTON: And working with growers that also recognize the importance of the mission that they’re taking the care, the quality and the time to put the right berries in the right pack so that when it does get to the consumer, they are delighted. In turn, that results in a better value back to the grower because we’re able to achieve a premium return on those berries because they are so delightful.

Consistency and quality of the fruit is important to Driscoll.

JOHNSTON: We operate with an independent farmer model and what this means is we don’t actually grow the berries ourselves. We spend a lot of investment in research and development but we contract with independent farmers throughout the world. We develop and distribute a patented, genetic plant material to these farmers. We work with over 400 independent family farmers through the world.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.  

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