BerryQuest International 2025: A Premier Event in the Berry Industry
BerryQuest International 2025 brought together the Australian berry industry for an exceptional event. This prestigious conference showcased the latest innovations in growing techniques, research, packaging, export development, biosecurity, labor, and marketing.
With over 500 industry professionals in attendance, the event featured two packed days of inspiring keynote speakers, cutting-edge sessions, immersive farm tours, and valuable networking opportunities.
Farm Tours – A Deep Dive into Industry Leaders
During the two-day farm tours, we had the privilege of visiting some of the most advanced berry operations in Australia, gaining insight into their methodologies and innovations.
Driscoll’s Nursery – Perth
Driscoll’s has been operating in Australia since 2010 and has farms across nine regions. As one of the largest suppliers of berry planting materials in Australia and New Zealand, they play a critical role in the industry. We visited their nursery in Perth, a 40-hectare facility in northern Tasmania, established 10 years ago.
Hillwood Berries
A family-owned farm operated by the Dornauf family; Hillwood Berries covers 52 hectares of berry production under tunnels. Their primary crops include strawberries and raspberries, with smaller quantities of blueberries and blackberries.
Demonstrations and Innovations
Haygrove showcased their total vent tunnels.
Muirs presented cocopeat grow bags and fertilizers.
We observed a BerriSuite harvest software demonstration, an automated rut filler demo, a plant husbandry piece rating tool, and in-field quality control (QC) scanning utilizing machine learning processes.
Reid Fruits – Jericho
We met Mr. Tim Reid, Managing Director and a fifth-generation orchardist in the Reid family. Originally one of Australia's leading apple producers, Reid Fruits transitioned entirely to cherry production, growing ten different varieties under protective nets. They also use Cravo retractable greenhouses, which allow for automatic climate control, doubling production yields. Currently, they export cherries to over 20 countries across Europe, Asia, North America, and the Middle East.
Piñata Farms – Expanding Across Australia
Piñata Farms manages four major crops across more than 1,000 hectares, including:
Pineapples (year-round production)
Honey Gold mangoes (summer season)
Strawberries & specialty berries (grown in Tasmania and Australia)
Following the 2019 drought, Piñata Farms expanded into Southern Tasmania due to its proximity to population centers, ports, and its moderate climate.
Strawberries – 16 hectares (tunnel-grown)
Raspberries – 18 hectares
Both crops are grown for two seasons using efficient mowing and pruning methods. We also attended a demonstration by the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) team, who explained their research on pheromone trap trials.
Conference and Exhibition
The final two days of BerryQuest 2025 were dedicated to the conference and exhibition. We had the opportunity to showcase our company at our booth, attend insightful lectures, and connect with key industry players—both existing collaborators and potential future partners and clients.
BerryQuest 2025 was a high-quality event where we gained valuable knowledge, built strong industry relationships, and enjoyed an enriching experience.
A huge thank you to the organizers for making this incredible event possible!
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