The Gariguette strawberry, a very early and well-known variety to consumers because of its exceptional taste, is on the shelves now. After the start of the season at the end of February, the inflow of Gariguettes increased in March. Peak production should be from early April to mid-May, with auction volumes expected to reach 10 tons per day.
Eric Salaun, producer of Gariguettes in the Côtes d'Armor (photo: JM Labat)
Prince de Bretagne’s Gariguettes are grown in sheltered, hanging gardens, harvested manually, and packaged directly at the producer in their final packaging. To preserve the quality of these precious fruits, and guarantee 12 to 24 hours of freshness, the strawberries are auctioned on the morning of their harvest, and shipped the same day in France and abroad. A truly technical and logistical daily feat, which guarantees quality and freshness.
Manual harvest
The first class Gariguettes will remain available in large packages, with the top rows having the strawberries with their tips in the air (in 1.8 kg and 2 kg); a form of presentation proposed last year, which was highly appreciated and will therefore be applied to two new ways of packaging: the 1kg wooden tray of 30x25, and the 800g wooden tray of 30x20.
A tray of Gariguettes of extra class (1.8 kg)
Prince de Bretagne strawberries will also be marketed in UVC in 250g trays and open baskets, a practical format for eager sales!
Prince de Bretagne has been the collective brand for fresh fruit and vegetable producers on the north coast of Brittany ever since 1970. These producers are grouped into six Breton cooperatives members of the Cerafel association, which guarantees the brand, the respect of specifications, the marketing of products, and setting up common means of research and experimentation.
From Conquet to Saint-Malo, these 2,000 farmers produce 147 different types of fruits and vegetables, which are on sale on European markets.