Newsletter Archives - Official Website International Blackcurrant Association

More awards!

Mark Willems from the University of Chichester was decerned an award for a presentation he gave about his research on blackcurrants and anthocyanin. Congratulations! Best Scientific Award of Polyphenols Applications 2021 Dr. Mark Willems, Professor of Exercise Physiology in the Institute of Sport, Nursing and Allied Health at the University of Chichester in the United [...]

Blackcurrant growing in Russia

The efforts of the International Blackcurrant Association to establish contacts with Russia and come to learn more about blackcurrant growing in Russia resulted in a round table of the IBA Executive with the Russian Berry Union, Russian researchers and growers. We are happy to share what we learned with you in a short version in [...]

Austria Juice’s definition of sustainability

Sustainability - a word which is in everybody's mouth nowadays. In fact, in the past 25 years, we have all become aware that our way of producing, living and consuming was irrespective of the natural ressources and lacked of humanity and fairness in many ways. New ways of going forward to the future have been [...]

Climate change challenges blackcurrant growers

Blackcurrant growers all over the world regularly report about increasing difficulties related to climate change. Drought, heat, lack of winter chill and spring frost work their own way and indirectly lead to controlling blackcurrant overproduction "naturally". The background Before we talk about new challenges related to climate change, let's have a look at the basics. [...]

LRS and JHI: in hunt for climate-resilient varieties

Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) has invested over £500,000 in a five-year project with the Scottish James Hutton Institute to develop new varieties of climate-resilient blackcurrant. LRS and the JHI: a long-lasting relationship On the one side: Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS), one the leading soft drinks businesses in the UK and Ireland. On the other side: [...]

Exec meeting around blackcurrants in Austria

Blackcurrant history, Austria While Austria grew around 4.000 tonnes of blackcurrants in the 1980ies, there are only 200 tonnes per year today. How it came to such a decline is not surprising, and reflects what is happening in many of the (former) big blackcurrant growing countries in Europe. With good prices, an easy and simple [...]

Austria Juice and blackcurrants

Austria Juice, one of the biggest concentrate producers in the world, has its headquarters in Kroellendorf and Vienna, Austria. They have also been partners of the IBA from the beginning and until today. Two good reasons to meet CEO Franz Ennser in March 2020. May I introduce AUSTRIA JUICE? For many of our readers, Austria [...]

Ribes

More than 25 years of organic blackcurrant growing and marketing: Ribes is unique. Its success comes from continuous investment and renewal, good ideas and perseverance of Gudrun and Franz Schriebl, the founders of Ribes. We have met them in the framework of an IBA Executive meeting in March 2020. Growing and marketing blackcurrants: here comes [...]

StBoG – the Styrian berry cooperative

4.000 tonnes of blackcurrants in Austria in the 1980ies, 200 tonnes per year today: Austria's production declined, but some of the growers found a way to continue. They turned their production into organic in the 1990ies, and 95% of the whole yield is organic today. Most of the growers are in Styria, a hilly region [...]

Genjiro Katayama awarded IBA honorary member

In its ten first years of existence, we did not have any IBA honorary member. The time has now come to acknowledge our gratitude to one of our most deserving members. In 2020, the International Blackcurrant Association has therfore awarded its first Honorary Life Membership to Genjiro Katayama. Genjiro Katayama and the IBA Genjiro Katayama [...]

Blackcurrants: More to offer than we think

For several years, the IBA has had pleasure in listening to the presentations of Mark Willems. In fact, his research at the University of Chichester (United Kingdom) has lead to astonishing findings on the antioxidant effects of blackcurrant. The ongoing research on the reduction of oxidative stress during exercise (and more) is captivating! Here is [...]

Blackcurrant media star worldwide

Starring blackcurrants When it comes to promoting our little black currant, many growers, transforming companies and research institutes benefit from a good partnership with the press. Some inform the IBA and share the links to the coverage they obtained. Our General Manager also find other media content through search engines and publishes the links. The [...]