Partnership unlocks blackcurrants’ market potential

Despite having the health benefits of high levels of vitamin C, other essential vitamins and antioxidants, fresh blackcurrants are generally destined for the processing market and are rarely seen on supermarket shelves in the UK. 

By reshaping the genetics of blackcurrants, Hutton researchers are developing blackcurrants that not only taste better and last longer but are also easier to harvest and more attractive for fresh fruit retail. Their ultimate goal is to make blackcurrants a more regular feature in the fruit aisles, so consumers can enjoy their favourite fruit fresh, not just in drinks or preserves. 

They will target key traits such as fruit size, sugar content, shelf life, and attractive long fruit clusters (strigs) suitable for retail display. Alongside improving flavour and fruit quality, the project is also focused on building resilience. Breeding for traits such as lower winter chilling requirements and improved resistance to pests and diseases will make blackcurrants more adaptable to climate change while reducing reliance on chemical inputs. 

Specialist blackcurrant breeder at the Hutton, Dr Amanda Moura, said: “We want shoppers to find blackcurrants on supermarket shelves as a fresh and healthy choice, while ensuring the crop remains resilient for future farming. 

“This is ambitious work, as we are almost completely redefining the genetics of blackcurrants. It demands dedication, time, and perhaps a touch of luck. This project began nearly 20 years ago, and we all feel we are finally getting closer now.” 

‘Blackcurrants have the potential to be a superfood’

Winterwood Farms’ managing director, Steve Taylor, added that although many blackcurrant varieties exist around the world, none of them are sweet enough to be consumed in the same way as, say, raspberries and blueberries.  

“Purely from a health perspective, blackcurrants have the potential to be a superfood, particularly if they were sweet enough to snack on, rather than restricted to cooking with or mixing with other fruits,” he concluded. 

No blackcurrant has yet been developed with this level of professionalism or commercial value, the partnership said. Close collaboration with Winterwood Farms Ltd, including trial plantings on their farms, is set to ensure that new selections align with commercial priorities and meet consumer expectations. 

The Hutton is a research centre whose breeding programme supports the entire Scottish fruit supply chain from growers to marketing organisations and retailers. The soft fruit group works extensively with stakeholders to carry out research proposals to address the specific and targeted needs of the sector, using marker-assisted breeding to reduce the time it takes to produce cultivars with the key traits of interest. 

It addresses challenges facing the industry, including improved means for pest and disease control that are in line with increasing demand for reduced pesticide use in agriculture, resistance to climate change and new cultivars that enable growers to respond quickly to a changing marketplace. 

Its pioneering research combines field selection at different stages with modern genetic tools, such as molecular markers, to identify the best candidate plants and achieve greater progress. 

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