The Arana blueberry variety was developed by Costa in Australia and licensed to Driscoll's exclusively in America, Australia and China (through Costa Driscoll's Joint Venture).

Additionally, Costa licenses Arana through its majority ownership African Blue (Morocco) throughout Africa, providing nearly 52 weeks of supply to the EU and Asia.

“The Arana berry is consistently larger and sweeter than other varieties and has most of the positives consumers look for: size, flavor and shelf life. It has a very good yield and, therefore, it is a berry with a lower production cost”, explains Peter. McPherson, CEO of Berry International-Costa.

The Arana blueberry season started in July in New South Wales and earlier in Far North Queensland. The season lasts up to five months, depending on the location, as the berries tend to cycle twice in any one season.

“La Arana also shows great promise as a parent in new varietal selections. Some early selections are pictured above, the smallest berry (3,6g) meets the normal 20ml specification for Jumbo berries, so consumers have exciting times ahead.

"In my opinion, Arana is the best blueberry I've ever seen, which is why consumers are enthusiastic about it and it consistently offers a premium price above the rest of the market."