Latest news with #HighlandCharm
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
First British-bred blueberry title claimed… then swiftly lost
Few things stir the spirit like a national first – so when the James Hatton Institute, in Invergowrie, declared this summer that it had produced the UK's first home-bred blueberry, heads were turned. However, no sooner had the institute made the announcement than it discovered that someone had beaten it. It was then forced to relinquish the title of a British first in favour of proclaiming the first Scottish-bred blueberry. The institute had proudly unveiled Highland Charm, a blueberry variety bred on Scottish soil, produced after a decade of research, cross-breedings and a large amount of patience. But instead of relishing in the sweet taste of triumph, the institute had to content with a bitter reality. Highland Charm would fall short of claiming the crown of first UK-bred blueberry, as that accolade had been collected by another pioneer whose identity remains a mystery. The institute issued a correction after being contacted by the people behind the true first British-bred variety, and clarified that it instead had the first blueberry of Scottish heritage. But sources in the berry industry robustly denied that any other berry breeding programmes existed nationwide. Instead, they suggested that the name confusion could have been prompted by the Scottish Government, which reportedly funded the breeding programme, and therefore asserted Scotland's claim on the produce. The Scottish Government denied these accusations, with a spokesman advising that 'it was changed because someone else approached them claiming to have created the UKs first bred blueberry before them'. Waitrose boasted of British blueberries in 2020 but fell short of claiming they were bred here saying instead that they were organically grown. But for institute staff who have spent over 10 years working on Highland Charm, one honest mistake will not get in the way of their celebrations. Susan McCallum, the organisation's resident blueberry breeder, said: 'It combines high yields, excellent fruit size, outstanding flavour, with a balanced sugar-acid profile and a satisfying bite. Growers are really excited about it.' Nick Marston, of British Berry Growers, welcomed the news of a new home-bred strain, saying: 'The potential advantage that breeding in the UK offers is that new varieties will be selected and trialled in the UK climate at an early stage in their development which means they may be better suited to our climatic conditions.' The long process of berry breeding means that growers can brand it a 'Scottish Berry', suited to the weather and native. At present, growers must rely on foreign varieties, and whilst they can be grown in the UK they cannot truly call themselves a native-bred fruit. Tesco reported last year that consumers enjoy more than 60,000 tonnes of blueberries per year, with almost 90 per cent imported from abroad – largely the Americas – a number of weeks after they were harvested. Researchers at Invergowrie wanted to change that with Highland Charm, a resilient and high-yielding seed that has delivered in testing across different seasons and growing conditions both home and abroad. Now it is undergoing a licencing process to allow it to qualify as a new cultivar, meaning Highland Charm could be on supermarket shelves in the next two to three years. Ms McCallum hopes its success will encourage consumers to buy locally produced, in-season produce, and promised: 'They're fresher and have higher health benefits than imported berries that take six weeks to get from field to shelves. You'll taste the difference.'
Scotsman
7 days ago
- Science
- Scotsman
Scottish blueberry breakthrough sounds a lot better than Willy Wonka's chewing gum
Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. On being told Wonka has invented chewing gum that tastes like a three-course meal – tomato soup, roast beef with baked potato, then blueberry pie and ice cream – she ignores warnings it's not ready for human consumption and starts chewing anyway. The result is that she turns blue, expands to become a giant blueberry, and is rolled off to have the juice extracted before she explodes. However, we're quite sure the invention of a new kind of blueberry by experts at the James Hutton Institute will come with no such (entirely fictional) risks. Instead, the ten years of research that went into the creation of the Highland Charm – the first capable of flourishing in Scotland's climate – should mean that, in about three years' time, we'll be able to have in-season, local fruit that's tastier and healthier than imports which can take weeks to reach supermarket shelves after being picked.
Scotsman
22-07-2025
- Science
- Scotsman
First blueberry to flourish in Scottish climate produced after ten years of hard work
More than 300 unique blueberry crosses were made to find the perfect result. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Scientists are celebrating after producing the first ever blueberry to flourish in Scotland's climate. The achievement has come about after ten years' research at the James Hutton Institute's breeding programme during which more than 300 unique blueberry crosses were made to find the right combination. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The result, dubbed Highland Charm, has been made from a selection of blueberries bred from the native north American species (Vaccinium corymbosum), resulting in a berry that grows well in the Scottish climate, the JHI said. The James Hutton Institute introduces the first UK-bred blueberry | James Hutton Institute Blueberry breeder, Susan McCallum, said: 'This cultivar is a real standout. It combines high yields, excellent fruit size, outstanding flavour, with a balanced sugar-acid profile and a satisfying bite, and an impressive shelf life. 'It is reliable and has performed well in our trials year after year, with consistent yield, size and taste. Growers are really excited about it.' The new berry has been successfully trialled in the UK and the EU, constantly performing well across multiple seasons and diverse conditions, the JHI said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland's fertile soils, clean water, and milder summer temperatures create ideal conditions for producing high-quality berries. Cooler summers extend the ripening period of soft fruit, allowing for greater accumulation of sugars and acids, resulting in a more intense, well-balanced flavour compared to berries that ripen rapidly in hotter climates. The UK consumers buy around 60,000 tonnes of blueberries a year but 90 per cent of them are imported from overseas, according to JHI. Researchers at the centre believe the blueberry has great potential for expansion and that Highland Charm will meet the demands of the industry for home grown fruit. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They said its climate resilience represents a significant advance for growers. Dr McCallum said she hopes the new berry will encourage consumers to buy in-season, local fruit. 'They are fresher with higher health benefits than imported berries that take six weeks to get from the field to the shelves,' she said. 'The imported fruit is often picked slightly too early and while its colour continues to develop, its flavour does not. I guarantee people will taste the difference with in-season, local fruit and will want to go back for more.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Highland Charm is currently going through the licensing process that will declare it to be a novel and unique blueberry and should be on supermarket shelves in about three years. A sister variety under development is also expected to enter the licensing process next year. Meanwhile, a supermarket has revealed that this year's warmer weather has led to the UK's biggest cherry yield in at least three years. Tesco supplier Place UK, based in Tunstead near Norwich , Norfolk , said the warm weather had led to a "wonderful crop". The supermarket has introduced larger 600g and 1kg pack sizes of the cherries, priced at £4.50 and £6 respectively. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dan Yordanov, of Place UK, said: "It's been a really good season for us so far with the warmest spring on record helping to produce a wonderful crop of cherries - easily the best we've seen for at least three years. "This has resulted in an abundance of great tasting, perfect British cherries being picked at peak ripeness.'
The Herald Scotland
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Research institute successfully breeds UK's first blueberry
Blueberry breeder, Susan McCallum, said: "This cultivar is a real standout. It combines high yields, excellent fruit size, outstanding flavour, with a balanced sugar-acid profile and a satisfying bite, and an impressive shelf life. 'It is reliable and has performed well in our trials year after year, with consistent yield, size and taste. Growers are really excited about it.' The new berry has been successfully trialled in the UK and the EU, constantly performing well across multiple seasons and diverse conditions. READ MORE: The Hutton is an internationally renowned research centre whose breeding programme supports the entire 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 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 the rising cost of production. Scotland's fertile soils, abundant clean water, and milder summer temperatures create ideal conditions for producing high-quality berries. Cooler summers extend the ripening period of soft fruit, allowing for greater accumulation of sugars and acids, resulting in a more intense, well-balanced flavour compared to berries that ripen rapidly in hotter climates. UK consumers buy around 60,000 tonnes of blueberries a year but 90% of them are imported from overseas. Researchers at the Hutton believe blueberry has tremendous potential for expansion and that Highland Charm, will meet the demands of the industry for home grown fruit, and that its climate resilience represents a significant advance for growers. Dr McCallum hopes the new berry will encourage consumers to buy in-season, local fruit. She said: 'They are fresher with higher health benefits than imported berries that take six weeks to get from the field to the shelves. 'The imported fruit is often picked slightly too early and while its colour continues to develop, its flavour does not. I guarantee people will taste the difference with in-season, local fruit and will want to go back for more.' Highland Charm is currently going through the licensing process that will declare it to be a novel and unique blueberry and should be on our supermarket shelves in around two or three years time. A sister variety under development is also expected to enter the licensing process next year.
The National
22-07-2025
- Business
- The National
First UK-bred blueberry flourishes in Scottish climate
Researchers from The James Hutton Institute have bred the berry, named Highland Charm, after 10 years' research in which more than 300 unique blueberry crosses have been made at its Invergowrie site. Each was evaluated to find a selection bred from the native north American species (Vaccinium corymbosum) that can flourish in the Scottish climate. The new berry has been successfully trialled in the UK and the EU, and researchers are now exploring how the berry fares under different growing conditions. READ MORE: 'Brilliant example of Scottish innovation': Crisp brand lands major deal with Tesco They believe the blueberry has tremendous potential for expansion in Scotland and that Highland Charm, will meet the demands of the industry for home grown fruit, and that its climate resilience represents a significant advance for growers. Blueberry breeder, Dr Susan McCallum, said: 'This cultivar is a real standout. It combines high yields, excellent fruit size, outstanding flavour, with a balanced sugar-acid profile and a satisfying bite, and an impressive shelf life. 'It is reliable and has performed well in our trials year after year, with consistent yield, size and taste. Growers are really excited about it.' The Hutton, an internationally renowned research centre, aims to address specific and targeted needs of the food production sector, using marker-assisted breeding to reduce the time it takes to produce cultivars with the key traits of interest. According to the institute, Scotland's fertile soils, abundant clean water, and milder summer temperatures create ideal conditions for producing high-quality berries. Cooler summers extend the ripening period of soft fruit, allowing for greater accumulation of sugars and acids, resulting in a more intense, well-balanced flavour compared to berries that ripen rapidly in hotter climates. UK consumers buy around 60,000 tonnes of blueberries a year but 90% of them are imported from overseas. READ MORE: Brewdog 'set to close 10 flagship bars' including in Scottish city Dr McCallum hopes the new berry will encourage consumers to buy in-season, local fruit. She said: "They are fresher with higher health benefits than imported berries that take six weeks to get from the field to the shelves. 'The imported fruit is often picked slightly too early and while its colour continues to develop, its flavour does not. I guarantee people will taste the difference with in-season, local fruit and will want to go back for more.' Highland Charm is currently going through the licensing process that will declare it to be a novel and unique blueberry and should be on our supermarket shelves in around two or three years time. A sister variety under development is also expected to enter the licensing process next year.
