Meet the Experts – Stefan Spanjaard, Agrovision

The fresh berry business has enjoyed huge growth around the world in the past decade. And within that soft fruit category, blueberries are a product that has seen its sales increase dramatically in several markets. This spike in demand for blueberries has prompted major investments in new production, notably in South America and in parts of Africa.

In this video in our Meet the Experts series, we speak to Stefan Spanjaard of Agrovision, one of those companies that has looked to develop blueberry production all across the world. Its approach is very much focused on building year-round availability of premium-quality fruit by investing in new varieties that can offer better taste, better yields, and better returns.

Here, Stefan tells us about the opportunities he sees in the berry market, and some of the challenges involved. At the moment, for example, supply is frustratingly short. But he predicts there will be very good chances to tap into new demand in the near future. “We don’t just see an increase in existing demand, it’s also about new territories popping up,” he observes. “And we see that continuing for the next years as well. It’s an ideal situation.”

Find out how the blueberry business can withstand the current economic downturn, and why investment in better varieties may be the best way out of the current crisis – even at a moment of short supply.

This video was produced in partnership with Fruitnet Media International.