The seven-nation European project BreedingValue is aimed at enhancing the value of fruits such as strawberry, blueberry and raspberry, and involves seven nations Italy, France, Germany, Spain, UK, Finland and Turkey.
One of the activities of the project, conducted between March and July 2022, and led by the Institute of Bioeconomics of the CNR, with the support of European partners, was to engage consumers through a multilingual online survey to understand the liking of the fruits studied in the project, compared to other popular fruits.
More than 900 consumers participated in the survey, and the most popular fruit among the 18 proposed was strawberry, with raspberry in fourth place and blueberry in fifth. Excellent placings then for these 'up-and-coming' fruits.
In second place was the cherry, with an average rating of 6.1 out of 7.
The cherry is, among the most liked fruits, in third place in Turkey, second place in France and the United Kingdom, almost equal to the strawberry for Spanish consumers, and first place for Italian consumers (rating 6.4 out of 7).
In Germany, the whole podium is for the berry: strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, in that order, with the cherry in fourth place.
Only in Finland is the cherry not among the top 10 most popular fruits, but the difference between the opinions of consumers in the different countries gives an idea that the online survey was conducted carefully and with a desire to offer honest individual judgements.
The survey, it is important for the research, to segment consumers according to preferences and expectations, highlighted the high appreciation for berries, but also showed how the cherry, together with the peach (in third position
according to international ratings ... and second in Italy ahead of the strawberry), is an important reference when it comes to taste, quality and the pleasure of eating fruit.
11 Aug 2026
The Jerte Cherry PDO closes a very positive season, with 5 million kg of cherries and 2.5 million kg of certified picota. High quality, new varieties and strong European sales reinforce the value and identity of the local cherry supply chain, protected by the Jerte PDO.
06 Jan 2026
The high production of cherries in Chile requires new storage strategies. A study evaluates the use of controlled atmosphere on different varieties, analysing the impact on quality, physiological disorders and post-harvest damage while awaiting the packaging process.
18 Sep 2026
Canada and the US settle the dispute over Staccato® cherries. Monson Fruit Company will pay past and future royalties, stop propagating new Staccato® trees through 2029 and refrain from exporting fruit outside the US through 2032, ending a six-year long legal battle.
18 Sep 2026
Centro Fruticultura Sur will host a seminar in Chillán, Chile, on protected fruit cultivation, featuring two new publications on covered cherry production and European hazelnut physiology and management, with tools to address climate variability in modern orchards.
