Winterwood Launched European Berry Supply Division
Retailers in Central and Eastern Europe now have a year-round supply source for berries to help manage inventory consistency.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Consumer Goods
Live Poll
Do you prefer year-round availability of all berry types in your local grocery store?
Winterwood Group has established a new European division to provide 52-week berry availability for regional retailers. The operation, which officially began in February 2025, integrates production and packing to support consistent supply across Central and Eastern Europe.
Why it matters
By creating a dedicated European arm, the company seeks to mitigate seasonal procurement volatility and improve supply security for retailers. This move allows operators to access consistent volumes without relying on fragmented, seasonal-only sourcing.
Winterwood Europe manages 20,000 tonnes of blueberries annually, supported by packing facilities capable of processing up to 30 truckloads of fruit each week.
The players
Winterwood Group
An international fruit producer and distributor operating production and packing facilities across multiple continents.
Maciej Wójtowicz
The Commercial Director for Winterwood Europe tasked with overseeing regional sales and distribution strategy.
The details
The division leverages a vertically integrated model that combines company-owned production facilities in Poland, South Africa, and the UK with a network of strategic growing partners. This infrastructure ensures the 52-week supply program remains active regardless of local harvest gaps. The centralized packing model is designed to buffer against market volatility and maintain stock levels for retailers.
Timeline
February 2025: Winterwood Europe began operations in Poland.
October 5, 2026: Winterwood formally announced the launch of the division.
Market Landscape
This move follows the broader retail industry trend toward integrating year-round perishable supply chains to ensure shelf consistency. It mirrors the strategic shift among large-scale distributors to centralize packing and production to gain market leverage over fragmented seasonal suppliers.
Operators and buyers should monitor whether this model stabilizes seasonal wholesale pricing for berries throughout the year. Review current procurement contracts to determine if year-round supply agreements could lower logistics costs compared to maintaining multiple seasonal relationships.
The takeaway
Vertical integration of packing and production serves as a strategic hedge against seasonal supply gaps in perishable goods. Monitor the consistency of weekly delivery volumes during off-peak months as a benchmark for this new operational model's efficiency.
Further reading
For more on evolving logistics and sourcing trends, see our coverage of Consumer Goods.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Retail Times.
Live Poll
Do you prefer year-round availability of all berry types in your local grocery store?
