Anyone that has ever picked blueberries knows the feeling when spotting the right one. It’s perfectly plump and bigger than the rest.
Imagine finding one nearly six to eight times the size of the average blueberry. It would not only catch your attention but maybe, even, the Guinness Book of World Records.
In late November on a farm in Corindi, New South Wales, Australia, a picker from the Costa Group found the ultimate blueberry – measuring an unbelievable 20.40g (0.71oz) and 39.31 millimetres.
It was a record-breaker, by more than 4 grams, according to the Guinness Book. The previous holder was also from this part of the world, spotted in 2020.
The blueberry was an Eterna, part of Costa’s Variety Improvement Program (VIP), which licenses its varieties in the Americas, Morocco, China, and Southeast Africa. While news outlets broadcast the stunning development – from BBC to the Guardian and CNN – there was only moderate surprise from Costa. Eternas are typically big and bold, but always with great texture, according to Senior Horticulturalist Brad Hocking.
“Eterna as a variety has a really great flavour and consistently large fruit. When we picked this one, there were probably around 20 other berries of a similar size,” said Hocking, one of a team of growers that included Jessica Scalzo and Marie-France Courtois. “This really is a delightful piece of fruit. While the fruit is large, there’s absolutely no compromise on quality or flavour as would be expected when developing a premium variety blueberry.
According to Costa, that VIP program produces at least one new variety for distribution worldwide every year. Growing conditions are ideal in Corindi, and Costa works hard to try to meet its customers’ high demands, especially on premium blueberries like the Eterna.
“We are always looking to develop new varieties that improve on the current benchmark and meet evolving customer requirements,” George Jessett, Costa Berries International Horticulture Manager, said. “We are also looking to breed varieties that are more adaptable to hotter climates, are more drought tolerant and with better resistance against pest and disease pressure.”
