Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I is investing £920,000 over five years with the James Hutton Institute to develop climate-resilient blackcurrants for Ribena. The programme aims to combat extreme weather, pests, and disease, ensuring sustainable yields and preserving Ribena’s flavour while supporting British growers and advancing agri-research across the UK and Ireland.
Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain and Ireland (SBF GB&I), the maker of Ribena, has announced a five-year investment of £920,000 to further its long-standing partnership with the James Hutton Institute. This funding will support the development of climate-resilient blackcurrant varieties, ensuring the sustainability of one of the UK’s most iconic drinks.
The investment will continue the existing blackcurrant breeding programme, which focuses on developing new varieties that can withstand the increasing challenges posed by climate change, such as extreme weather, pests, and diseases.
The 2025 growing season saw the warmest and driest spring on record in the UK, with more sunshine by June than in the entire previous year. While this led to strong flowering and fruit development, many farms experienced severe water stress, and the harvest season began two weeks earlier than usual.
This shifting climate has underlined the urgent need for blackcurrant varieties that can thrive under heat and drought conditions.
In collaboration with researchers at the James Hutton Institute, SBF GB&I is working to develop blackcurrant cultivars that can deliver consistent yields even under increasingly erratic environmental conditions.
The breeding programme specifically targets:
Tolerance to drought, heat, and reduced winter chilling
More reliable flowering and fruit set
Resistance to major pests and diseases, especially as chemical pesticide options decline in the UK
Advanced yield forecasting tools, both field-based and laboratory-based
These innovations are critical to helping blackcurrant growers adapt to climate extremes while maintaining Ribena’s quality and supply.
One of the less-publicized yet powerful tools in the Ribena blackcurrant breeding programme is the use of molecular markers. These are genetic “flags” that help scientists identify desirable traits (such as pest resistance or drought tolerance) early in the breeding process, long before plants bear fruit.
This approach shortens the breeding cycle, reduces the need for chemical inputs, and accelerates the development of hardier varieties. By trialling these techniques in blackcurrants, the James Hutton Institute is contributing to the broader shift toward precision breeding in fruit crops, a vital area as EU and UK policies tighten around pesticide usage.
Every potential new variety is tested for flavour and nutritional quality, to ensure that the distinctive taste of Ribena remains unchanged. The programme aims to balance agricultural resilience with consumer expectations, preserving what makes Ribena a household favourite.
Harriet Prosser, Agronomist at SBF GB&I, said:
“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.”
Dr Amanda Moura, Soft Fruit Breeder at the James Hutton Institute, added:
“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.”
This initiative forms part of SBF GB&I’s broader “Growing for Good” commitment, aiming to support British farmers and promote more sustainable agricultural practices. By ensuring the long-term viability of blackcurrant production in the UK, the company is investing in the future of both the Ribena brand and the local farming communities that support it.
While the blackcurrants used in Ribena are grown exclusively in the UK, Ireland plays a key role in Ribena’s broader commercial landscape, including distribution, retail, and brand presence. Ribena is a well-loved drink in Ireland, particularly among families, and has become a household staple over generations.
As part of the GB&I business unit, the benefits of the investment extend indirectly to Irish consumers by ensuring long-term product consistency, flavour, and supply—despite climate-related disruptions. It also reinforces the company’s commitment to sustainability across both Britain and Ireland, not just in agriculture but in the full product lifecycle.
Although blackcurrants for Ribena aren’t currently grown in Ireland, Irish agriculture faces similar climate challenges: wetter winters, more frequent summer droughts, and increased pest pressure due to shifting weather patterns. Irish fruit growers—especially those cultivating strawberries, raspberries, and apples—are also seeking climate-adaptive solutions to maintain viable yields.
SBF GB&I’s research partnership with the James Hutton Institute could serve as a model for Irish agri-food research partnerships, showing how targeted investment in breeding and forecasting can future-proof native crops. Lessons from this blackcurrant project could eventually inform broader strategies in Irish horticulture.
As Ribena continues to prioritise resilience in sourcing, there’s potential for SBF GB&I to expand sustainability initiatives within Ireland, aligning with Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2024 goals in agriculture, transport, and consumer behaviour.
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