THE COMPANY which makes the famed Ribera drink in Coleford is investing £920,000 to continue its blackcurrant breeding programme.

Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain and Ireland (SBF GB&I) will work with the James Hutton Institute over the next five years to ccelerate work to develop new varieties of berries that produce consistent yields in the face of climate challenges.

They will be bred to withstand extreme weather, pests and diseases while preserving the signature Ribena taste.

This year saw the warmest and driest spring on record with more sunshine by June than the whole of 2024.

These conditions led to the harvest season beginning a whole two weeks earlier than usual.

While the abundant sunshine produced strong flowering and fruit, many farms struggled with severe water stress – underlining the urgent need for blackcurrant varieties that thrive in heat as well as drought.

By developing blackcurrant varieties that can deliver consistent yields despite environmental stress, including limited winter chilling, heat, and drought, researchers aim to support more reliable flowering and fruit set even under unpredictable weather conditions.

New field-based and laboratory tools will deliver earlier and more accurate yield forecasts, giving growers the confidence to plan around unpredictable or extreme weather events.

Harriet Prosser, an agronomist at SBF GB&I says: “This season’s weather extremes have shown that investment in fruit varietal breeding is vital to protect the future of both the blackcurrant crop and the growers who depend on it.

“We look forward to working with the James Hutton Institute to make sure Ribena remains a beloved British favourite for generations to come.”

The programme will also focus on resistance to pests and diseases.

As plant protection products continue to be withdrawn in the UK, growers are becoming more reliant on varieties with strong natural resistance.

To address this, the breeding programme will prioritise cultivars – plants that has been selectively bred for specific traits – that can withstand major field pests and diseases, reducing the need for chemical control.

Using molecular markers developed at the Institute, resistant plants to these threats can now be identified early in the breeding process.

This method is already in use, with resistant plants currently being trialled to support more sustainable blackcurrant production.

Finally, every potential berry type will undergo flavour and nutritional testing. Dr Amanda Moura, a soft fruit breeder at the Institute said:, “We are strongly committed to the development of a new generation of blackcurrant varieties that can continue thriving in the UK while adapting to the challenges posed by climate change and pests’ pressures.

“This work offers greater security and long-term sustainability to our growers and to the industry.

“It is a great pleasure to be part of a project like this and to contribute to a fruitful future for British blackcurrant production.”

The company says the partnership with the James Hutton Institute is an example of it’s Growing for Good ethos by helping ensure sustainable growth for British growers as they continue growing blackcurrants for Ribena, while nurturing the environment.