“Keeping the blueberry chain as short as possible is what interests both retailers and us as growers,” says Stefan Spanjaard, Managing Director of Agrovision Europe. That was at the opening of the company's sales office in the Netherlands. “The partners we still work with add value to the chain. However, we want, when necessary, to develop those skills ourselves. All our divisions are moving towards a model in the market”.

“Apart from a sales office, this will eventually mean growing in Europe for the company, whose roots are in Peru. That is so we can supply the retail sector with blueberries throughout the year.” Stefan says that supervising the cultivation is the second reason for opening the European branch.

It will begin its northern hemisphere production in Morocco. That follows cultivation in Peru, of approximately 2.500 hectares, and Mexico. “We think we will also need two or three more producing countries to cover the April/May to August period.” For this reason, northern Europe, Spain, Portugal, among others, come to mind. 

Differentiate

agrovision

The blueberry market, as well as production, are generally up. Agrovision has also expanded considerably in recent years. Stefan supports managing that growth with a discrete category approach similar to, say, tomatoes. “It is an inevitable and necessary marketing step. You also need to be able to tap into the growth potential of the category.” To improve on that approach, Agrovision will continue to plant Sekoya varieties. These enhance the blueberry eating experience.

Agrovision is one of 13 members of the Fall Creek Sekoya club. It represents 45% of the total area of ​​Sekoya. “If we don't continue to innovate as an industry, we're going to face limited consumption growth at some point. These new varieties will once again boost the pattern of consumption in Europe." Spanjaard says that there are still great strides to be made in many European countries when it comes to blueberry consumption. That compares to the US or UK consumption figures, which are much higher.

SEO

“When a differentiated strategy is implemented, the focus is on increasing consumption. This is done by offering a product with improved quality. Here, Stefan doesn't feel that the term premium covers the whole scope. -quality producer”. In his experience, 'premium' often gives the perception of a small product that takes up, at most, ten percent of the total shelf space in the store.

“We are moving towards a quality offer, but for the general public. This offer actually needs a different positioning and price. But we believe that we must make it widely accessible. That's to boost consumption patterns. You can't do that with an exclusive product." Agrovision is actively discussing what the category should look like in the future with retailers. Various blueberry programs are expected to be implemented.

Stefan anticipates that innovation will drive consumption but also recognizes that this growth is necessary to continue to innovate. “The moment we stop innovating qualitatively, growth will be accompanied by a continuous fall in prices. An improved offer, for which buyers are willing to pay more, can help break that trend and increase innovation.

Needs

Consumer needs at the time of purchase are a key focus for Agrovision. Therefore, the company is moving away from supply-driven assortment filling, which determines availability, packaging content, to need-based filling. And the General Manager sees that these needs are changing. Shopping just before consumption is increasingly replacing traditional weekly shopping trips. And there are more single-person households. That requires different packaging. Also, when it comes to packaging, the choice of material plays an important role.

“The total carbon footprint of the packaging is being considered. But is recyclable plastic or paper the solution? This question has not yet been answered, says Stefan. "The problem with plastic is not so much the material, but the lack of a proper recycling system," he concludes. The use of paper as a packaging material is marking a positive trend. However, it probably won't replace other types of packaging on a large scale.