Everyone knows the fruit drink Ribena, but few people realise that the blackcurrant varieties used to produce this ever-popular brand were bred at The James Hutton Institute. The Institute's blackcurrants are all named after mountains in Scotland, so you will find Ben Hope, Ben Gairn and Ben Alder grown throughout the UK and beyond. It has been estimated that Institute bred blackcurrants account for more than 50% of the global crop, and new varieties are being launched most years.
| Blackcurrant cultivation | Fresh market blackcurrants |