Naturipe Farms and Hortifrut recently announced a strategic partnership with Mountain Blue Orchards, a family-owned Australian company and one of the world’s leading blueberry breeding programs.
The companies say this agreement builds on proprietary breeding programs while broadening access to elite blueberry genetics and reinforcing a long-term strategy in blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
“Premium genetics create value all the way through the supply chain,” says Jim Roberts, president of Naturipe Farms. “Firmer berries with better shelf life help maintain quality from harvest through distribution and on the retail shelf. That means less shrink, better-looking fruit and more flexibility for retailers.”
Under the expanded agreement, Hortifrut will combine MBO’s fruit selections with its own breeding, field testing and commercial networks. The deal grants Hortifrut access to new blueberry varieties tailored for growers in the U.S., Mexico, Peru and throughout Latin America.
The collaboration aims to accelerate the deployment of high-yield varieties tailored to diverse regional climates, with a focus on fruit flavor, shelf life and supply chain consistency.
The move builds on a long-standing partnership between Hortifrut and MBO, extending licensing rights previously focused within Asia to the Americas.
Driving Growth in the Rubus and Blackberry Category
Hortifrut CEO Hector Luján highlights the company’s successful rubus breeding program that aligns agronomic improvements for growers with flavor, appearance and shelf life qualities for consumers.
“We are even more excited about our rubus pipeline, which will continue to expand our offering through further advances in agronomic performance, flavor, appearance and shelf life, creating value across the supply chain and driving greater consumer demand,” he says.
As Hortifrut continues to invest in its proprietary breeding program and its own genetics, Luján says, “We also recognize that innovation is strengthened through collaboration.”
This collaboration combines the strength of internal breeding capabilities with external innovations to drive value for growers, retailers, consumers and the industry.
“We believe these collaborations benefit the entire berry category by accelerating the adoption of superior genetics, enhancing the consumer experience, and ultimately driving category growth through increased demand,” he says.
Balancing Consumer Flavor With Farm-Level Productivity
Roberts says he sees the future of berry genetics as being driven by flavor, texture, larger fruit and, of course, quality.
“Developing a new berry is definitely a long-term investment,” Roberts says. “While no one can predict the future, one thing has stayed remarkably consistent: Consumers want fruit that delivers a great eating experience.”
Grab-and-go products will also play into the future of the berry category, he says.
“Convenience will also remain important, whether that’s berries with a longer shelf life, better shipping performance or products that fit busy, grab-and-go lifestyles,” he says.
Ease of growing is also important, says Roberts, noting that genetics need to work for consumers, retailers and growers.
“As a grower-owned company, we understand firsthand that a successful variety has to perform in the field just as well as it performs at retail,” he says. “Traits like plant architecture, harvest efficiency and how easily fruit can be picked are all important because they help growers manage labor and improve productivity.”
Roberts says beyond just growing structure, there’s also a focus on yields, disease resistance, shelf life and quality.
“The goal is to develop varieties that help growers succeed while consistently delivering the flavor and quality consumers expect,” he says. “Every new generation of berries gives us the opportunity to improve flavor, texture and performance, so growers, retailers and consumers all benefit.”
Roberts says a constant feedback loop of sensory panels, testing and feedback helps Naturipe track Brix, acidity, firmness, size, crunch and eating quality.
“Consumers have high expectations, and we want every berry to deliver a great eating experience,” he says. “Every variety has its own flavor profile, and we’re constantly collecting data to help us develop even better berries. The approach is not a one-size-fits-all approach, as every region and every consumer has a different taste profile, which is why we have so many new varieties coming into production.”
This testing, Roberts says, will help ensure the varieties created meet consumer expectations in the future.
“We believe the next generation of berries will continue to be driven by exceptional flavor, satisfying texture, larger fruit and consistent quality, no matter the season,” he says.
