“We want to develop our plum orchard to 7,000 tons with flavorful varieties”

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Driven by a desire to continue diversifying its farms to ensure their resilience, Blue Whale began researching plum varieties in the 2000s. “Our strength at Blue Whale is our ability to identify the best products on the shelf to attract consumers and develop the American-Japanese category, more particularly the Metis range. The Metis range is a subtle blend of plum and apricot, with exceptional taste quality,” explains Claire Fayan.

© Blue Whale

As a result, Blue Whale’s plum orchard in the southwest of France now stands at around 5,000 tons, with a season that runs from July to November, offering a wide range of different varieties. The orchard has been consolidating over the last 5 years, with Metis gaining in strength, particularly with the Oxy Solar range (red flesh). “We have around 60 dynamic and innovative growers of this diversification species, which is the subject of major cultural innovation. We are monitoring three trial orchards, under the supervision of BW’s technical department, to identify the best plums of tomorrow.”

© Blue Whale © Blue Whale

In terms of growth, Blue Whale’s ambition is to expand its orchard to 7,000 tons, with a range of varieties of the best quality and taste. Developing the orchard presents challenges, especially for the plums of the Metis range. “The vagaries of the weather and years of overproduction have put a strain on the profitability of our farms since 2019. The 2024 season enabled us to get back on track in terms of sales and producer remuneration. We hope that the 2025 season will consolidate this situation. We need to make our orchards profitable in the long term if we want to achieve our ambitions for the development of this species. Our focus on tasty varieties that build consumer loyalty is a major advantage in the market. Additionally, our Promofel field sales force, which accompanies our Metis range, enables us to support retailers in developing and sustaining the category. Our investments in this sector over the last 20 years are starting to pay off.”

© Blue Whale

As for the current campaign, Blue Whale started the season with the Friandise variety. “The launch has been successful. We are very pleased with the taste quality of the Friandise this year. The first variety of the Metis range has also arrived on the market.”

For more information:
Claire Fayan
Blue Whale
BP 417
82004 Montauban
Phone: +33(0)5 63 21 56 56

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Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies