On Friday 9 June the British blueberry season will officially open. Following a stormy start to spring, the season will kick off a week later than usual with 9 June heralding a welcome return for home-grown berries. With a staggering 6000 tonnes of British blueberries grown in the UK this year alone, they will soon be taking their rightful place on the shelf and in our diets.
Harry Hall, Managing Partner of Hall Hunter – established growers of 30% of the UK’s British blueberries – feels that 9 June cannot come soon enough. “British blueberries have long been overlooked and I am delighted that here at Hall Hunter we have beaten our growing record to date, and this year will have 2000 tonnes available for sale. Low in food miles and mighty in flavour, British blueberries are great for the planet, and our diet – an ideal healthy snack for all the family.”
With warm sunny weather forecast for early June, British blueberries are set to taste sweeter than ever this season. Warmer weather helps to boost the natural sugar content of British blueberries, whilst pollinators help with the production of a steady supply through the season. Hall Hunter’s Tuesley Farm is home to over 180,000 bumblebees, which pollinate thousands of blueberry plants that will produce blueberries in 2023.
Despite blueberries being available in supermarkets all year round, 90% are imported from across the globe, meaning that most of our blueberry eating habits are centred around out-of-season berries shipped from abroad. However, our appetite for British blueberries continues to grow with over 5,000 tonnes bought last year, with the total value of all blueberries purchased worth £481m to the UK economy.
With British blueberry demand increasing, Hall Hunter is on a mission to safeguard the future of these berries. With 45,000 tonnes imported from abroad, notably Poland and Chile, Hall Hunter alone wants to increase its crop 30% year-on-year and thanks to its abundant supply, make British blueberries the sole choice for supermarkets and buyers from June to September.
With the planet and wellbeing remaining top of the news agenda, British blueberries are good for both. With the average British blueberry travelling a mere 100 miles to the supermarket shelf, compared to their imported counterparts travelling up to 7000 miles, they are light on the planet. Moreover, their short commute delivers maximum freshness.
