About Berry Gardens
On 6th February 2007, three of the most experienced and respected names in the berry industry, KG Growers, Driscoll’s and Alconeras merged their European marketing and research interests to create our new company, Berry Gardens.
We are focussed solely on breeding, growing and distributing strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries to the European market. Our vision is to refine each of these components to create the very best berry experience in Europe. This will be achieved through the creation of new value in the supply chain, better consistency, improved flavour and year-round availability of berries.
About our companies
Berry Gardens Holdings BV The groups parent company. Based in Breda, Holland, Berry Gardens Holdings BV is owned by KG Growers of the UK, Driscoll’s of the USA, and Alconeras of Spain.
Berry Gardens BV Also based in Breda, Holland, Berry Gardens BV supplies berries on a year round basis to mainland European multiple retailers. Berry Gardens BV was established as Berry Alliance in 2003 and has grown rapidly to become one of the leading fresh market berry suppliers in mainland Europe.
Berry Gardens Plants BV The research and development company of the group, Breda based Berry Gardens Plants BV provides a full range of technical services to both our contracted growers and to our marketing companies. Berry Gardens has strawberry breeding programmes for both Northern Europe and Iberia. We also trial and select strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry varieties from the hugely successful breeding programmes of Driscoll’s. All proprietary plant material is contract propagated for Berry Gardens Plants BV for supply to our growers. The company also provides agronomic advice to growers, and food safety / technical services to both the growers and the marketing companies.
Berry Gardens Ltd Based in Tonbridge, England, Berry Gardens Ltd was formed from the merger of Alconera UK and KG Fruits. Alconera UK was established in 1998, and KG Fruits in 1995. It is the UKs largest fresh berry supplier and offers its retailer customers a year round programmed supply from all our grower groups and sources.
About – our shareholders
KG Growers has 73 grower members producing berries. The growers are situated in all the main production areas of the UK. These comprise South East England, the Midlands/West Midlands, East Anglia and Scotland. The 2007 production area comprises 1316 hectares of strawberries, 390 hectares of raspberries and 60 hectares of other berries including blackberries, blueberries, red and black currants. KG Growers represents over 40% of the total UK production volume of each berry type.
Alconeras is a family owned business with berry farming interests in Spain and Portugal. The business also owns a packhouse and freezing unit in Morocco as well as a plant raising business in Segovia. There are currently 750 hectares owned or on long term leases, of which 200 are in currently under production. A further 140 hectares are under production through Frutas Moguer S.L... In total there are 258 hectares of strawberries and 420 hectares of other berries including raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc. is a United States-based company whose primary mission is to continually delight consumers through its offering of premium berries in the marketplace. It develops its own patented varieties of berries and contracts with independent growers to produce berries, grows its own crop, or develops farming joint ventures for the production of fruit. Exclusive of European growing arrangements, Driscoll’s production areas include multiple states in the U.S., South America, Mexico, Canada and Australia.
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