The field day organized by Fall Creek® in Seville comes at a key moment for the blueberry industry in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In recent years, the company has strengthened its commitment to connecting varietal innovation with real market needs, an approach embodied in its Field + Forum event, which combines field demonstrations, technical analysis, and direct dialogue with growers and retailers.
Within this context, the FCM14 057 variety has become one of the main points of interest for attendees. Although not entirely new—it has been in the hands of a small group of growers for three years—Fall Creek® is now beginning its commercialization through a royalty system starting in October 2026, coinciding with the new nursery season.
“We believe it’s going to be a game changer for the production season, not only in Spain but also in Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt,” says Félix Blázquez, Grower Support Representative for Fall Creek® Iberia, as he shows the variety in one of the demonstration plots.
A mature variety entering its expansion phase
FCM14 057 has followed a gradual introduction process. First, Fall Creek® placed it with strategic growers to validate its performance in low‑chill regions and, in parallel, to position it in the market ahead of a broader launch. The variety already has an official name—yet to be announced—and the company expects significant growth in the coming years. “We’re going to double sales compared to last year, especially in northern and southern Morocco and in Huelva,” Blázquez notes.
Attributes designed to stand out
The variety offers a combination of traits that directly target grower profitability and consumer‑perceived quality. These include large fruit size, with more than 60% of berries above 18 mm; a rounded shape that facilitates harvesting and reduces labor costs; an upright growth habit that allows for higher planting density; a production window from January to late May; and excellent firmness and flavor, with a shelf life of up to 45 days in cold storage.
“In terms of fruit quality, it’s going to change what is currently available on the market,” Blázquez asserts. Ease of harvesting and extended shelf life are, in his view, two of the factors most valued by both growers and retailers.
Fall Creek® Collection: premium genetics with regulated access
FCM14 057 is part of the Fall Creek® Collection platform, a model that combines access to high‑value genetics with a structured royalty system. Growers obtain a license through an access royalty, with a recurring per‑hectare fee, and from there they can freely commercialize their fruit.
Fall Creek® does not impose strict limits on the number of plants per grower, but it does emphasize the importance of advance planning due to the long production cycle of plant material.
Market validation before reaching growers
One of Fall Creek®’s distinguishing features is its strategy of prior commercial validation. Before launching a new variety, the company evaluates how the fruit performs with retailers, ensuring it understands market acceptance and can better position the product.
“When we start selling plants, the market already knows the variety. Sometimes retailers themselves ask us which growers have it so they can buy fruit from them,” Blázquez explains.
This approach, aligned with the philosophy of the Field + Forum event held in Seville, aims to shorten the distance between genetic innovation and real market demand—an increasingly important challenge in a sector where varietal offerings are expanding rapidly.
Quality from the nursery to the retail shelf
Blázquez stresses that the success of a variety depends as much on its genetics as on its management. “A good variety in the wrong hands can generate bad publicity,” he warns. For this reason, Fall Creek® places special emphasis on delivering uniform, high‑quality plant material and supporting growers during the varietal learning phase.
The promise is clear: greater productivity, higher quality, and more stability in a category that needs differentiation to maintain its value.
