March is a dry time in central Jalisco with warm days and cool nights, the perfect growing conditions for berries. The air is buzzing with anticipation in the many berry fields of Agroberries (AB) Mexico, Berry Fresh’s growing business unit in Mexico. This spring season is big, much bigger than last year and all that growth will help Berry Fresh better service its customers.
While walking the rows of plump blackberries waiting to be packed and shipped, you can see the care that goes into the fields to provide the best eating experience for customers. In addition to increased acreage of Sweet Karoline®, Berry Fresh’s growers are working with the variety to extend the season.
“Adjusting a plant’s natural growing cycle takes patience and constant attention,” says Berry Fresh’s Production Manager Darren Sinn, “we are planting Sweet K in multiple states around Mexico, finding the correct environments to provide consistent supply”. The goal is that the variety will grow to serve more customers for a longer season in future years.
Ramping Up Mexico:
Beyond Sweet Karoline®, Berry Fresh is harnessing the region’s ideal climate for berry production by increasing its owned acreage of blueberries and raspberries. Year-over-year, growing operations in Mexico increased by 200% and all new planting was done with proprietary varieties. This will ensure that Berry Fresh’s Mexican offering has better quality, surety of supply and flavor. As with any substantial growth, there will inevitably by challenges, yet the team in Mexico is enthusiastic about tackling them head-on and adapting swiftly to the rapidly expanding business unit.
Through a strong team, premium genetics and leading cultivation practices, Berry Fresh’s Mexican operation is primed to be a first-class growing operation.
Sweet Karoline® is a blackberry variety co-owned by Berry Fresh known for its sweet flavor and resistance to red cells. Berry Fresh is a leading year-round grower and marketer of premium blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries to customers in the Americas.
