From Berry Fresh to BerryWorld: A Conversation With Jorge Andres Varela of Agroberries

The Business of Blueberries

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jorge Andres Varela, president of Agroberries. Agroberries is a vertically integrated berry producer and marketer with a large worldwide presence and a portfolio of exclusive proprietary genetic varieties. Varela discusses their expansion with Berry Fresh, a marketing arm in the Americas, as well as their recent investment in BerryWorld.

“We have to be united. There's sometimes a little bit of tension between different growing regions, but finally, we're all looking for the same thing. We're looking to increase consumption, to offer a better product to consumers, and I think we have to work together. … An industry that works together is going to be much more successful than everyone doing their own thing on their own.” – Jorge Andres Varela

Topics covered include:

• An introduction to Varela.
• The expansion and growth of Agroberries, Berry Fresh and the recent investment they’ve made in BerryWorld.
• Varela’s take on expanding the value, quality and consumption of blueberries worldwide.

Crop Report

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Brittany Lee in Florida and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on March 7, 2024.