2025 has marked a milestone moment for our breeding programme, BerryWorld Plus, as we celebrate the arrival of the UK’s first home-bred blueberry: BerryWorld Orb®. This beautiful blueberry is already making a splash, having been crowned Tastiest Blueberry at this year’s National Cherry & Soft Fruit Show.
Bred in the heart of Kent at our BerryWorld Plus site in Faversham, BerryWorld Orb® is a proud product of our world-leading breeding programme. First selected by Peter Vinson in 2012 and championed by Graham Clarkson from 2015, this northern highbush variety is prized for its size, flavour and firm texture. It also boasts excellent shelf life and strong plant structure, making it easy to pick and even easier to love.
The new variety is already being trialled by growers as far afield as Chile, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, France, Italy and Romania. It’s an innovation that works for growers and delights retailers.
Samuel Rowe, CEO of BerryWorld Varieties, shared:
“It’s promising to see successful breeding on British soil, with BerryWorld Orb® delivering a sustainable offer for farms and for retailers. In the UK retail market we’ve seen a fivefold increase in blueberry consumption the last fifteen years, from some 12k tonnes annually in 2010, to nearly 65k tonnes in the most recent Kantar data. It’s exciting to be pioneering a UK first, and great to be able to offer locally bred varieties to British growers and shoppers as well, many of whom love to buy local produce when it’s in season.”
BerryWorld Orb® has now entered commercial production, with early volumes available in selected markets. It’s a proud example of how our world-leading breeding programme is shaping the future of berries – combining innovation, sustainability and standout flavour.