In Albens, at the foot of the Savoy Alps, one of the most ambitious agronomic projects in Europe is taking shape. The company Fruits rouges & Co has opened the “Berry Campus,” a unique center in France that brings together research, production, and energy sustainability. What once served as a simple production greenhouse has now become a high-tech, open-air laboratory where every aspect of berry growing is measured, monitored, and analyzed.
Thomas Magnien, who spent years developing his own production on this very site and now leads the agronomy division of the company, explains that the purpose of the campus is straightforward: to create a place where the real-life behavior of raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, and currant cultivation can be tested under identical conditions. “We didn’t want to rely on theory. We needed a system that would allow us to compare varieties, substrates, feeding strategies, irrigation regimes, and crop protection — and to obtain results that all growers can rely on,” he says.
The centerpiece of the campus is a one-hectare greenhouse covered with an agri-photovoltaic roof. Solar panels installed above the crops produce energy while also providing diffused light and controlled shade — an ideal environment for berries that are sensitive to climatic extremes. The research team monitors temperature, radiation, humidity, evapotranspiration, and dozens of other parameters in order to determine the optimal light-shade balance throughout the season. All recorded data is stored in a central database that will become a key reference for the entire industry.
Another major area of focus is substrate innovation. As Europe moves away from peat and towards more sustainable materials, the campus is testing mixtures of coconut fiber, plant-based structures, mineral matrices, and new biological blends designed to retain water, ensure aeration, and maintain uniform plant growth. More than twenty production systems, placed in different container volumes and on various types of benches, are observed simultaneously to identify which solution delivers the most stable fruit quality.
The campus is also moving toward full water autonomy. Rainwater is collected from photovoltaic panels and stored in underground reservoirs. Drain water from irrigation systems is filtered, analyzed, and reused. The objective is to create conditions in which production can function without a single liter of municipal water — a major achievement for raspberries and blueberries, crops highly sensitive to drought.
Beyond agronomy, the campus is envisioned as a place for developing technologies for post-harvest handling, logistics, and quality preservation. The company, which employs more than 500 workers each season across France, Spain, and Morocco, aims to secure consistent quality year-round — a goal that requires precise coordination between production, packaging, and transport.
The project in Albens has already attracted the attention of many growers who come to observe the innovations in practice. Over the next few years, they will have access to valuable data helping them plan harvests, reduce production risks, and improve market performance.
“We want this campus to become the birthplace of a new generation of berry production,” says Magnien. “If we want a stable and sustainable European supply, we must change old habits and embrace knowledge based on measurement — not assumptions.”
For France, which is working to strengthen domestic production of blueberries and raspberries, this initiative may significantly reshape the position of local growers on the market.
The Berry Campus in Savoie aims to become a place where science and practice work side by side — to the benefit of everyone involved in this valuable sector.
