The initiative will combine Fall Creek’s Field + Forum, Planasa’s Meet & Greet Field Day, and a dedicated Fresh Forward session, offering industry stakeholders a broader platform to explore innovation, breeding advances and market developments. While each company retains ownership of its own event, the alignment reflects a shared commitment to connecting genetic innovation with market demand and fostering dialogue among growers, retailers and commercial partners across the EMEA region.
A two-day program focused on innovation and market insights
The program will be structured around three complementary sessions covering breeding, agronomy and market perspectives.
◾ 10 March – Morning: Field + Forum (Fall Creek)
Fall Creek will host the first unified Field + Forum event bringing together the Fall Creek® Collection and SEKOYA® blueberry programs on a single platform. Participants will be invited to explore how breeding innovation translates into commercial value through field demonstrations, R&D tours and market-focused discussions.
The program will also include blind tastings and open exchanges designed to connect breeding progress with retail strategies and consumer expectations, highlighting how new blueberry varieties are developed to support both grower performance and market growth.
◾ 10 March – Afternoon: Meet & Greet (Planasa)
Planasa will host its Meet & Greet event, showcasing breeding innovation across four key berry crops: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. The event will bring together growers, retailers and industry partners to discuss varietal development, market insights and future opportunities in the berry sector.
◾ 11 March – Fresh Forward session (invitation only)
On 11 March, Fresh Forward will host a dedicated invitation-only session at its experimental finca, followed by a visit to its grower partner Agromolinillo. The session will focus on the company’s low-chill strawberry breeding program, presenting both established varieties and advanced selections.
These varieties prioritize flavor, fruit quality and disease resistance, while also addressing sustainability challenges such as climate change and reduced reliance on chemical crop protection. The session will also highlight how consumer insights increasingly guide breeding decisions.
Strengthening collaboration across the berry value chain
According to Ellen Kim, Global Marketing Director at Fall Creek, the initiative reflects the sector’s evolving priorities.
“Field + Forum has always been about connecting what we develop with what the market actually needs. Bringing the Fall Creek® Collection and SEKOYA® programs together for the first time reflects how our breeding priorities are evolving, combining genetic excellence with clear commercial direction,” she explained.
For Hans Liekens, Global Director of Marketing and Innovation at Planasa, the events also provide an important networking platform for the industry. The Meet & Greet concept, he noted, aims to bring together the berry community and facilitate exchanges around innovation, market development and future growth opportunities.
Teunis Sikma, Managing Director of Fresh Forward, highlighted the importance of breeding innovation in addressing future challenges for the fruit sector. The company’s breeding programs aim to deliver varieties that combine excellent taste, strong resilience and sustainable performance, while supporting growers, retailers and consumers across Europe.
A key industry gathering for the berry sector
By aligning their events within the same week, Fall Creek, Planasa and Fresh Forward aim to create a more comprehensive experience for industry stakeholders while strengthening cooperation across breeding, production and market development.
The initiative reflects the growing importance of innovation, collaboration and market-driven breeding in supporting the long-term growth and sustainability of the global berry industry.