Chilean blueberries are risking dropping out of the big leagues. Only industry-wide action can change the course. 

The World Cup is only weeks away, but in the blueberry industry, the tournament is happening right now. Big players like Peru, Mexico, and Morocco are among the favorites—but Chilean blueberries, once a star scorer, are nowhere to be seen. 

Once one of the world’s biggest blueberry producers, the Andean country has been lagging behind, said Hortifrut’s Commercial Manager for Asia, Sandra Wenz, who explains that only a better consumer experience can restore Chilean blueberries to their former glory. 

The Peru Factor

During her presentation at a late-April industry breakfast organized by the International Fresh Produce Association in Santiago, Chile, Wenz provided a current snapshot of the global blueberry industry. 

The landscape is one of explosive and seemingly never-ending expansion, where actors such as Peru have revolutionized the market, and newcomers China and Morocco continue to keep producers on their toes. 

Image courtesy of Frutas de Chile.

“Peru rose the bar at a global scale. It delivers a more consistent supply, a longer commercial window, even occupying gaps where there was no fruit,” she explained. “We had the Southern Hemisphere window, where Chile dominated, but Peruvian volume went above and beyond, with better genetics.”

The changes have been unmistakable, said Wenz. Annual market growth is reaching 12.5 percent, with global demand sitting comfortably at 1.2 million tons, and rising. Meanwhile, demand in the US, Europe, the UK, and Asia continues to increase, creating a market for a wide range of products.  

However, not all blueberries are made equal, Wenz explained, and only premium fruit can command the high prices Peru and Mexico can. This is what changed the game.  

“After 2016, prices went up and stayed up,” the expert explained. “But there was also a change in the industry—these prices appeared because the market changed.” 

Consumers are more demanding and more informed, she continued, willing to pay a premium for a premium experience—better quality, firmness, and better flavor. 

To achieve that, the expert said, new genetics are crucial, as novel varieties can command over $2 per kilo more than traditional cultivars, a gap that Wenz said only keeps growing. 

Changing the Chilean blueberry course

While Peru, Mexico, Morocco, and China gain ground, Chile’s rise in the blueberry market has hit the brakes. 

With a meager three percent annual growth rate, Chilean blueberries have been losing momentum since 2020, something that, according to Wenz, is clearly reflected in the country’s low rate of varietal renewal.

The expert explains that even though new varieties have been making their way into the Chilean blueberry portfolio, almost 50 percent of the country’s blueberries are of the Duke and Legacy varieties, while new cultivars make up only between 6.5 and seven percent of the offering. 

Image courtesy of Frutas de Chile.

“This is not enough,” she said. “We’re not gonna win this match with only two or three players.”

In contrast, back in 2017, when Peru was only a couple of years into its blueberry superpower era, 20 percent of the country’s portfolio consisted of new genetics. Now, that number has grown to a staggering 70 percent. 

“We want to be in the world league, but we’re doing it with old varieties and old technologies—that’s not competitive,” Wenz stated. “There are options, and it’s important to consider them. Peru elevated the standard, and without varietal renewal, Chile loses.”

We’re all in this together

Her assessment might be read as doom and gloom, but, to the contrary, Wenz is optimistic about Chilean blueberries' ability to change their luck. Especially because it’s not about the origin per se, according to her, but about the consumer experience. 

“The problem is not Chile, it’s not that we don’t have good quality, but we’re terribly inconsistent,” she added. 

Wenz was adamant about a joint responsibility in the industry’s current situation, saying it’s not about one company, grower, or variety—“A premium variety is not defined by origin or quality-at-destination alone: It is built along the way.” 

The Hortifrut expert emphasized that every link in the supply chain plays an important role in creating a better, more marketable experience—from genetics and agronomics, to production, packing, and logistics.   

“The market already changed, and it decided it will pay for a good experience, quality, condition, and consistency,” she added. “These are not desirable features to play in this league—they’re requirements.”

*Main image courtesy of Frutas de Chile. Other images are referential unless stated otherwise. 

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