The UK has been the biggest consumer of Polish blueberries for many years. The UK is this year’s honorary partner of the Blueberry Summer campaign run by the Polish Blueberry Promotion Foundation. The campaign is supported by the British-Polish Chamber of Commerce. The common goal is to promote the Polish-British trade partnership.
Poland is one of the leading producers of berries in the world. For blueberries, as much as 80 percent of production is exported. Blueberries are sold to over 25 countries on four continents. "The fruit goes to the most demanding markets" says Dominika Kozarzewska of the Polish Blueberry Promotion Foundation for the Polish Press Agency.
The British Polish Chamber of Commerce is pleased to support this year's Blueberry Summer campaign. The blueberry is increasingly recognised in Britain as a superfood, rich in antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, high in potassium and vitamin C. Eaten regularly, blueberries can lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, they also have proven anti-inflammatory properties.
The British Polish Chamber of Commerce is pleased to support this year's Blueberry Summer campaign. The blueberry is increasingly recognised in Britain as a superfood, rich in antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, high in potassium and vitamin C. Eaten regularly, blueberries can lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, they also have proven anti-inflammatory properties - says Michael Dembinski, BPCC chief advisor.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Poland is the world's largest producer of blueberries outside of North America (only to the USA, Canada and Mexico grow more). And the UK is Europe's largest importer of blueberries. The rapid rise in the consumption of blueberries in Britain is driven by consumers' perception of the fruit as a healthy snack; parents are putting portions of blueberries into their children's school snack boxes, people are buying them to eat at work. The blueberry has joined the strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blackcurrant - fruits traditionally better-known in the UK - as a summer staple.
Polish growers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in terms of the way they approach the UK market. Logistics, standards and marketing all need a different approach to that required for the local market. Standards are extremely important. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) standard is being upgraded this year, and growers selling to the large supermarket chains need to be aware of what they need to do to comply when the latest version of BRC comes into force.
Polish blueberries, when compared to those from other European countries, have a better all-round balance of sweetness and acidity - the tang that gives flavour comes from the more temperate climate compared to that found in Mediterranean countries.
Polish blueberries have been an important part of the UK market for over 30 years, well before they became a “superfood”. Polish blueberries have always had a good reputation for general quality but more especially for their good taste, which is due to the generally good climate and soils within Poland. The variation of cold winters and hot summers is perfect for bringing out the right sugar / acid balance that gives the Polish fruit its unique flavour characteristics. During the Polish season, Polish blueberries are more popular in the UK than from any other country, and the two countries have always have a good trading relationship with the fruit - says Stephen Taylor of Winterwood Farms, Maidstone, Kent.
July 1st is the Polish Blueberry Day – it is the official opening date of the season for Polish blueberries. The celebrations are scheduled to take place on June 30th, 11 o’clock, at the fashionable Breakfast Market in Warsaw. The Polish Blueberry Day is an initiative of blueberry growers. It is the central event of the Summer with Blueberries campaign. It promotes the values of the fruit and the success of Polish-British trading partnership.
Throughout the summer, ie. during the blueberry harvest season in Poland, an educational campaign for consumers will be run, to encourage them to eat more of the fruit. Agro-workshops entitled "Where do blueberries come from?" for pre–school children will be held as part of the campaign, . The aim is to educate children on how fruits grow and ripen, how growers protect them from adverse weather conditions and how they are picked.
- Everyone needs to know where the valuable food comes from and be aware of how we should eat healthily. We are very pleased that we cooperate with the Academy of the Active and Creative. Thank you for the gorgeous, full of power and joy workshops - Anna Giermek, The Principal of English Primary School.
The workshops are an inspiration for everyone who contributes to the debate about awareness and actions worth taking to help parents shape good eating habits in children.
The Management Board of the Foundation and the National Association of Fruit and Vegetables Producer Groups took the decision to grant the United Kingdom the title of honorary partner of this year's Polish Blueberry Day celebrations (23 April 2018).
For more on the promotion of Polish blueberries please visit www.latozborowkami.pl
Source: Foundation for the Promotion of Polish Blueberries.
The study was funded from the funds of the Fruit and Vegetable Promotion Fund as part of the campaign "Summer with blueberries" run by the National Association of Fruit and Vegetables Producer Groups.