Fall Creek acquires Berryplant, Berrytech to expand genetics portfolio

Fall Creek Farm & Nursery Inc., a Eugene, Oregon-based blueberry genetics and nursery company, has announced it has acquired Berryplant, an Italy-based raspberry and blackberry nursery production operation, along with Berrytech, its dedicated breeding and intellectual property company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Berrytech will continue to operate as a standalone entity during an initial transition period. The nursery operations and assets of Berryplant will be integrated into Fall Creek Italia, ensuring continuity for employees and customers.

The nursery’s press release announcing the deal says the acquisition strengthens Fall Creek’s genetics platform via the addition of raspberries and blackberries while maintaining its blueberry production and extending the company’s ability to serve growers who operate across multiple berry categories.

“Growers and retailers need a trusted partner across berry categories and we have spent years building the teams, breeding programs and commercial infrastructure to serve that need,” said Fall Creek CEO Marc de Beer. “Berryplant is an exceptional team, and we are proud to take this step together.”

Berryplant is a family-owned business headquartered in Baselga di Pine, Trentino, Italy, with more than three decades of experience in raspberry and blackberry propagation. The company offers commercially proven raspberry varieties, including Amalia, Clarita, Optima, Shani, and Eros, and blackberry varieties including the Loch series.

Sister company Berrytech, established in 2019, manages the group’s breeding and intellectual property portfolio. To date, Berrytech holds 10 Plant Breeders’ Rights titles for raspberry and blackberry varieties. Berryplant is one of only four certified prebase material centers for raspberries and blackberries in Europe. The team’s founders, Maddalena Grisenti and Ilario Ioriatti, were among the first in Europe to undertake a private raspberry and blackberry breeding program.

In recent years, Berryplant and Berrytech have expanded, supplying plants and genetics to customers around the world.

“We are proud to join Fall Creek, united by a commitment to genetics, plant quality and grower relationships,” said Berryplant and Berrytech R&D Director & Co-owner Diego Ioriatti. “This partnership allows us to bring world-class raspberry and blackberry genetics to more growers, and ultimately to help put better fruit on more tables.”