The Business of Blueberries

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Steve Magami, Agrovision’s co-founder and executive chair. Agrovision is a leading vertically integrated global healthy snacking superfruit platform with operations in Perú, Mexico, Morocco, Chile, Romania, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Egypt and the United Kingdom. You can hear Magami’s previous appearances on the show in episodes 115 and 166. “We're seeing the opportunity to continue to develop cutting-edge software technology to deliver this consistent, high-quality experience year-round. We're working hard on the times of the year when our volumes of that better berry are not as strong as the strongest times of year, really to get it to a consistent level of volume.” – Steve Magami Topics covered include: An introduction to Magami and his work at Agrovision. An exploration of Agrovision’s strategy and global efforts to create a year-round supply of blueberries. The potential to grow the appeal of various blueberry snacks with consumers.  Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 24, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) is joined by Kevin Hamilton, USHBC’s vice president of communications and marketing, and Haiying Zhang, USHBC’s director of global business development. Zhang previously represented growers and stakeholders in the U.S. pistachio industry. As senior director of global marketing, she was responsible for executing marketing programs and budgeting in export markets, supervising public relations firms and overseeing USDA grant programs. “If you look at what is global business development, it really is a process of identifying and pursuing opportunities, with the goal to expand the operations or your reach in new international markets. And so at USHBC, my role is really … to expand the global trade for blueberries by increasing consumption in international markets.” – Haiying Zhang Topics covered include: An introduction to Zhang and her role with USHBC. Details on the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) funding USHBC has been awarded to support next year’s market expansion.The opportunities USHBC representatives discovered at this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica conference. How to connect with Zhang ([email protected]) to get involved in the global market expansion for blueberriesCrop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Andres Armstrong in Chile and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 17, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by April Stull, Ph.D. RDN, associate professor of nutrition sciences in the Department of Human Sciences and Design at Baylor University, and Leslie Wada, Ph.D., senior director of nutrition and health research at USHBC. Stull's work has furthered the reputation of and appreciation for the health benefits of blueberries, and USHBC’s health research program. Stull also authored a paper outlining the health benefits of blueberries, and she and Wada discuss the findings and impact this research can have.“I'm particularly excited about investigating the health benefits of blueberries across different populations and their role in meeting nutritional needs throughout the lifecycle. So this includes studying their impact on children, older adults, underserved populations and individuals from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.” – April Stull, Ph.D., RDN Topics covered include: An introduction to Stull and her work. A discussion of her recently published research paper which highlights the impact of blueberries on overall health outcomes. An exploration of proposed future research projects that would continue to investigate the many health benefits of blueberries.For more information, see additional research by Dr. Stull on blueberries and endothelial function and blueberries and insulin sensitivity. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 3, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” you’ll hear a live recording of U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and North American Blueberry Council (NABC) President Kasey Cronquist’s keynote address to the blueberry industry, which was recorded live at the 2024 Blueberry Summit in Denver. He was joined by Brad Moorer, CEO of MBG Marketing, blueberry grower Michael Hill and USHBC Chair Shelly Hartmann. Cronquist and his guests discuss the value of continued investment in the USHBC and the industry’s potential expansion. “You have the USHBC … where you can collectively bring everybody together to pull the biggest lever that you have to bring consumers back to the category or to the category for the first time in such a way that helps lift demand. And that helps everybody. And that's why USHBC got started in the first place: There was vision in what was going to need to happen in order to handle the circumstances. And, today, we're in different circumstances. We're at a crossroad.” – Kasey Cronquist Topics covered include: The need for an increased assessment for the blueberry industry. The industry’s perspective on what it will take to continue to expand blueberry demand globally, and the best strategy to accomplish this task.A grower's perspective on the proposed increased assessment, and the need this investment meets for producers in the industry.The goals of the USHBC, what an increased assessment will provide for the organization, and how an increased assessment will help USHBC better support blueberry producers. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Dr. Frank Wong, director of stakeholder relations at Bayer, and Alyssa Houtby, NABC director of government affairs. Before joining Bayer, Wong was an associate specialist in cooperative extension and a plant pathologist at the University of California, Riverside. He has also served as the American Phytopathological Society's subject matter expert for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), providing information on plant diseases and disease management. Wong and Houtby discuss upcoming changes to EPA policies regarding pesticide and herbicide use. “It's the public's problem. It is the grower's problem. It is the pesticide manufacturer's problem. And it is EPA’s problem. If we don't figure out a way to solve this, that means that essentially the majority of pesticides … registrations could be vacated … . And for sure a lot of the efforts that I think blueberry growers should be doing right now is just being aware that all this is happening, and there are opportunities right now for their input to change the policy.” – Dr. Frank Wong Topics covered include: An introduction to Wong and Houtby and their work. A discussion of the changes to EPA policies regarding pesticide and herbicide use that could impact blueberry producers.Where to learn more about the Endangered Species Act (WSSA.net) and how to view a story map that covers the evolution of the ESA and its intersection and interaction with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Luis Vegas in Peru, and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 19, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Michael La Kier, vice president of brand development at the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA). IGA is the largest affiliation of independent grocers in the U.S. and worldwide, with 1,700 U.S. stores and over 6,200 stores globally. They have thousands of independents across the U.S. working together as one entity to give access to affordable technology, programs and partnerships with the world's top consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers and service providers. Our shopper team has teamed up with IGA to help share blueberry value with consumers.“So you have to think through in a very disciplined, strategic way of what's the point of inspiration and how do I activate it? What's that point of decision, and then point of transaction to be holistic about it? Which is what I love that you guys have started to do in terms of thinking through what is the retail strategy, not just how do we create awareness for blueberries.” – Michael La Kier Topics covered include: An introduction to La Kier.An exploration of the strategies and efforts underway by IGA on behalf of the berry industry. The impact of the Organic Produce Summit and the insights we can gain from it for the blueberry industry.How the blueberry industry can collaborate with IGA now and into the future. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Alan Schreiber in Washington and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on September 12, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by MBG Marketing CEO Brad Moorer. MBG Marketing is a producer-owned blueberry and blackberry cooperative that was formed in 1936 as the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association. They have since expanded their membership to several other states, and today have over 200 growers, making them the largest marketer of fresh and processed, cultivated blueberries in North America. Moorer has previously joined our podcast on episode 108 and episode 109. He returns now to talk about leadership, marketing and his views on where the industry is headed and where it needs to go.“We have the data today to manage more effectively than we did in the past and that certainly helped drive improved results on both the sales side and the expense management side. But we have had this headwind of inflationary environment that we've been operating in, and I think we'll all be glad to see  if that ever goes back to more of a normal or at least a consistency where we could plan. … This is a long-term business, and you've gotta take that horizon when you get emotional about what's going on in the short term.” – Brad Moorer Topics covered include: An introduction to Moorer and his work. An exploration of the progress and market expansion MBG Marketing has provided Michigan Growers.A look at the new research agreement between Berry Blue (an MBG Marketing company) and the University of Florida Blueberry Breeding Program.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from T.J. Hafner in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 5, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Michigan State University Associate Professor Tim Miles and NABC Director of Government Affairs Alyssa Houtby.. Miles is an associate professor in the Small Fruit and Hop Pathology Laboratory who has teamed up with researchers across the U.S. to study the management of anthracnose and botritus fruit rot in blueberries. Houtby works closely with the NABC Government Affairs Committee, and is also focused on funding and technical assistance opportunities for projects that improve blueberry production and market access.“I'd love to improve fruit quality and improve shelf life and improve some of the environmental aspects of growing blueberries. We do have a lot of really great tools and synthetic pesticides that we've been working on for a long time, and there's been a lot of innovation in bio fungicides.” – Tim Miles Topics covered include: An introduction to Miles and Houtby. A discussion of the projects Miles has organized and contributed to, and how they impact the blueberry industry. An exploration of a project dubbed “BLUE DYNAMO,” and what it offers producers and researchers as far as opportunities to collaborate and integrate new protocols. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from T.J. Hafner in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 29, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), welcomes several fellows from Class Two of the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program to discuss their experiences with the program and their most recent trip to observe the Peruvian blueberry industry. You’ll hear from Kat Morales, inbound and outbound administrator for Camposo; Chad Don, Oasis Blueberry business manager; and Kyle Straughn, managing owner and CEO of Straughn Farms. Joining them is Amanda Griffin, USHBC and NABC vice president of engagement, and the designer of the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program.“The leadership development umbrella really stems from listening to leadership experts talk about their experiences and guiding the fellows in their individual leadership journeys, as well as introducing the fellows to other folks within the industry to broaden the scope and create more networking opportunities for the class, which ultimately … creates more retention of these leaders to stay within the blueberry industry and further drive the blueberry sector down the road.” — Amanda Griffin Topics covered include: An introduction to a few Blueberry Leadership Program Fellows. The purpose, intent and goals of the program.The fellows’ recent trip to Peru.How to learn more about the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Brody Schropp in Michigan and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 22, 2024.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), welcomes back Cort Brazelton of Fall Creek Farms and Nursery. The conversation covers key developments in global blueberry production, especially in Peru, and discusses the role of new genetics in addressing growers’ challenges. Cronquist and Brazelton also share their perspectives on what’s ahead for blueberry production, the potential of automation in harvesting, and the importance of industry collaboration to drive consumer demand and category segmentation. “The next phase for our industry is category segmentation, and my hope is that we can do a better job in service of our customers in empowering that. We hope that everyone does that. We would love to see our competitors do that. We have an opportunity to make the pie bigger.” – Cort Brazelton Topics covered include: Important developments in global blueberry production, particularly in Peru.The role of new genetics in addressing the needs of growers and consumers.What’s ahead for blueberry production, and the importance of industry collaboration to drive consumer demand.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon. This was recorded on August 8, 2024.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Luis Vegas, general manager of Proarándanos, the Peruvian Blueberry Growers and Exporters Association. They discuss the significant impacts of the El Niño phenomenon on Peru's blueberry production, the industry's strategic shift towards more resilient varieties and Proarándanos' role in promoting and supporting Peru's blueberry exports. The conversation also covers the potential of the Chinese market, logistical improvements and opportunities for global blueberry demand.“We are seeing July, August and maybe some part of September with a volume similar to last year, so still this year we are expecting a late peak. And also (we are) very excited because in Peru right now we're going through a phase of a lot of switching varieties. So, we are seeing new varieties coming into commercial production and I think that's going to be exciting for the market.” – Luis Vegas Topics covered include: The continued impacts of last year’s El Niño phenomenon on Perurvian blueberry production.A glimpse at the forecast for this season’s production in Peru.Efforts in Peru to build a more resilient blueberry industry that can continue to satisfy growing world demand.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brody Schropp in Michigan, Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 1, 2024.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Alvaro Luque, president and CEO of Avocados From Mexico. Luque brings over 30 years of experience in the marketing field to his role with avocados. His strategic vision has not only propelled Avocados From Mexico to its current status as a globally recognized brand, but has also made it a beacon of environmental responsibility in the agricultural industry. He’s renowned for spotlighting the famous jingle “Avocados From Mexico” in the 49th Super Bowl Commercial in 2015. “It takes money to make money … . We use a good part of our dollars to create promotions and create that acceleration of the market that we need, but we are also sure to create the value and this brand story and the emotions around it so consumers can feel confident paying whatever price they need to pay to get our category and our brand. And the only way of doing that is by doing good marketing and by keeping good quality in our product.” – Alvaro Luque Topics covered include: An introduction to Alvaro Luque, president and CEO of Avocados From Mexico.A look at the goals and successes of the “Avocados from Mexico” campaign.The strategy and journey Luque explored while building the avocado market globally.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on July 25, 2024.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Walmart Merchandising Director Melissa Byland. As one of the world’s largest blueberry buyers, Walmart relies on experts like Byland to ensure customers receive great quality and value with each purchase. Byland plays a pivotal role in understanding and fulfilling customer needs, and ensuring that the highest quality produce reaches shoppers nationwide. “I think when you have a full case full of fresh berries, I believe that sets the tone for the entire customer's experience within the produce department. And so not only is Walmart focused on produce. Walmart is really, really focused on making sure that we carry the best quality, have great availability for our customers every day, because it really does set the tone.” — Melissa Byland Topics covered include: An introduction to Melissa Byland, Walmart merchandising director and a keynote speaker at the 2024 Blueberry Convention in Tucson.An exploration of the value Walmart puts on the “berry patch” in their stores, and the quality expectation they provide to customers.The various opportunities and obstacles for marketing blueberries to increase consumption in the Walmart produce department.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Luis Vegas in Peru and T.J. Hafner in Oregon. This was recorded on July 18, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Chad Reenders, a fourth generation farmer who has been growing blueberries with his family since 2006. He recently started his own blueberry farm, and he farms 120 acres with his brother-in-law. Last year, Vegetable Growers News included Reenders on their list of Fruit + Vegetable 40 Under 40. Reenders is also the president of the Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee and a passionate advocate for Michigan farmers.“So in farming, it's risky, right? We're pretty much gambling every day with our money, with our income and with all the inputs we put in our farms. And in Michigan, I think two years ago, we were only at about 25% that were covered under some kind of crop insurance. I really wanted to push that number higher. I felt like we could at least get to 50%, if not more, of our growers being covered. I want to make sure that our blueberry growers are covered for the input costs and everything they have out in the field.” – Chad Reenders Topics covered include: An introduction to Reenders, a fourth generation farmer and president of the Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee.Reenders efforts to promote crop insurance among blueberry growers, and the network he called on to make that happen.What the Michigan blueberry industry looks like today and where it’s headed. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina and Matt Macrie in New Jersey. This was recorded on July 11, 2024. 

Hello, all you blueberry enthusiasts! We will be back next month in July, just in time for National Blueberry Month. We have a jam-packed schedule full of guests from all different backgrounds. In the meantime, here is the latest crop report for you to listen to. We will be back again very soon! Go, Blueberries!

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Todd Eagan, a former lead berry buyer with Costco’s fresh produce department and current consultant with Good Farms. You may remember him as a distinguished speaker at one of our virtual events in 2020 where he presented “In Search of the Perfect Blueberry.” Eagan shares industry trends and gives insight into how to capture more of the fresh produce market.“I'm a big believer in the free market, and I think consumers are smart. They don't want to spend their dollars, and nothing was worse to me than when you didn't hit expectations. Let's find a way to try to meet expectations wherever we can and so always kinda chasing that … let's make sure that we can do everything we can to exceed expectations of the consumer rather than disappoint.” - Todd Eagan Topics covered include: An introduction to Eagan and his reflections on the state of the berry industry over the last few decades.Eagan’s overall career in the berry industry and his extensive experience in retail produce. Eagan’s take on the blueberry industry’s successes and possible historical shortcomings.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jaqueline Nakashian with the California Blueberry Commission, Matt Macrie from New Jersey, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on May 30, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined again by Steve Mantle of Innov8 Ag and the BerrySmartProject. We previously heard from Mantle in episodes 44, 100 and 133. He joins us in this episode to share the latest details on the BerrySmart project, his insights on harvest automation and what the future holds for his work with blueberries.“The focus really was to bring together the growers, the researchers and the tech providers to help with optimizing blueberry farming operations, with a focus on soils, nutrients, yield, distribution, weather, chemicals, nutrients and, all importantly, labor. … And, so, weaving that together is the journey.” - Steve MantleTopics covered include: The latest and greatest on the BerrySmartProject and the benefits it’s providing to blueberry producers industrywide. Advances in leaf sampling for evaluating the health, nutrients and mineral availability present in both new and old plant growth.Mantle’s insights on harvest innovations. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Elise Oliver in California, and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on May 16, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bruce Popko, chief executive officer of Major League Pickleball. Popko discusses the growth of pickleball, the professional league that he leads, and why blueberries and pickleball belong on the same court together. The USHBC is thrilled to be one of the first sponsors of Major League Pickleball, joining some of the world’s largest and most recognizable brands in leveraging pickleball’s unique consumer reach.“The cool part is that inherently you've got a fun fruit and we've got a fun experience. So smashing those together in meaningful ways… I think there's just a lot of fun to be had in the relationship.” - Bruce Popko Topics covered include: An introduction to Popko. A description of the meteoric growth pickleball has experienced and the continued growth it’s expected to achieve.An explanation of how pickleball aligns with USHBC’s mission to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit!Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Brittany Lee in Florida,  Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Pat Goin in Indiana, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Jody McPherson in North Carolina and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on May 9, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Amanda Griffin, vice president of engagement and education at USHBC and NABC. Cronquist and Griffin reflect on The Blueberry Convention, share the feedback they received from participants and make a big announcement about future blueberry events.“The change is we are going to smush over the convention to the fall and essentially take away the summit, and have one large event in the fall called The Blueberry Convention. …It's an opportunity to celebrate the end of the season, gather everybody together, and that is where we will grow the trade show floor to have more expansive education offerings and more opportunities for folks to gather and to meet.” – Amanda Griffin Topics covered include: An introduction to Griffin and her efforts as vice president of engagement and education. Comments and reflections from the most recent Blueberry Convention.The future of USHBC and NABC events. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on April 25, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bruce Popko, chief executive officer of Major League Pickleball. Popko discusses the growth of pickleball, the professional league that he leads, and why blueberries and pickleball belong on the same court together. The USHBC is thrilled to be one of the first sponsors of Major League Pickleball, joining some of the world’s largest and most recognizable brands in leveraging pickleball’s unique consumer reach.“The cool part is that inherently you've got a fun fruit and we've got a fun experience. So smashing those together in meaningful ways… I think there's just a lot of fun to be had in the relationship.” - Bruce Popko Topics covered include: An introduction to Popko. A description of the meteoric growth pickleball has experienced and the continued growth it’s expected to achieve.An explanation of how pickleball aligns with USHBC’s mission to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit!Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on April 11, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Steve Magami, co-founder and executive chair of AgroVision, a vertically integrated grower, packer, shipper and marketer of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and table grapes. Recently having celebrated its 10-year anniversary, Agrovision is one of the world’s fastest growing producers and year-round supplier of superfruits, with nearly $300 million in sales. Magami first appeared on “The Business of Blueberries” in episode 115. “We've been on a mission to transform lives while we evolve in our journey to inspire consumers to live a more nutritious and healthy lifestyle. As I look back, I’m proud of our commitment to sustainability and the impact we've made, proud of our commitment to quality and the impact we've made on consumers, and I think we've just scratched the surface. It's already showing me the impact we can make together as an industry if we put the right quality on the shelf consistently through the year.” – Steve Magami Topics covered include: An introduction to Magami and his work. A discussion of the reach, growth and success of AgroVision in securing global markets in the berry and table grape industry.An exploration of the obstacles to different berry varieties and AgroVision’s response.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today, you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on April 4, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Jackson, founder of Family Tree Farms, alongside his sons and son-in-law. Today, they’re a family-owned fruit grower, packer and shipper based in Reedley, California, with additional locations in Peru, Mexico, and Africa. Jackson serves on the NABC Board of Directors and the United Blueberry Advisory Committee, and joins us to share his perspectives on quality, flavor, genetics, marketing and the future of our industry.  “Our mission statement is to consistently produce, package and market the most flavorful fruit in the world. We say that because we know who we sell to, but we always keep in mind that our end customer is that consumer, that person, who puts that fruit in their mouth and says, ‘Wow, that's the most flavorful thing. That's the best thing I've ever eaten.’ We have chosen to differentiate ourselves with flavor, and that comes down to just genetics.” – David Jackson Topics covered include: An introduction to Jackson and Family Tree Farms.An exploration of Jackson’s blueberry operation and how they pursue it from the soil up through genetics.A discussion of Family Tree Farms’ journey in the blueberry industry over the years, the challenges they’ve faced and the changes they’ve made.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on March 14, 2024.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jorge Andres Varela, president of Agroberries. Agroberries is a vertically integrated berry producer and marketer with a large worldwide presence and a portfolio of exclusive proprietary genetic varieties. Varela discusses their expansion with Berry Fresh, a marketing arm in the Americas, as well as their recent investment in BerryWorld. “We have to be united. There's sometimes a little bit of tension between different growing regions, but finally, we're all looking for the same thing. We're looking to increase consumption, to offer a better product to consumers, and I think we have to work together. … An industry that works together is going to be much more successful than everyone doing their own thing on their own.” – Jorge Andres Varela Topics covered include: An introduction to Varela. The expansion and growth of Agroberries, Berry Fresh and the recent investment they’ve made in BerryWorld.Varela’s take on expanding the value, quality and consumption of blueberries worldwide. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Brittany Lee in Florida and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on March 7, 2024.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ryan Ellison, produce category manager at Food City, and Joshua Essenburg, category manager at SpartanNash. Both of these retailers participated in a panel at the Blueberry Summit in Savannah last fall where they discussed “Insights and Opportunities for Selling Fresh Blueberries in Retail.” Together, they discuss the opportunity and potential they see in the blueberry market from the perspective of a retailer.“Our cross-merchandising on blueberries has really evolved a lot and, as that's evolved, so has the way we advertise them and promote them.” - Joshua Essenburg Topics covered include: An introduction to Ellison and Essenburg and their work. A discussion of the potential these retailers see in the blueberry industry and the many uses for blueberries that customers can enjoy.Strategies and encouragement retailers can use to support blueberry consumption. Visit blueberryevents.org to learn more and register for the Blueberry Convention, Feb. 28- March 1 in Tucson, Arizona. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on February 15, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by USHBC Chair Shelly Hartmann. As lifelong residents of Southwest Michigan, Shelly and Dennis Hartmann are the owners of True Blue Farms in Grand Junction. Established in 1988, True Blue Farms has grown substantially to 10 subsidiaries, including hundreds of acres of production and the popular Blueberry Store in downtown South Haven. In addition to being the USHBC chair, Hartmann is the past president of the Michigan Frozen Food Packers Association. She penned an inspiring story of her rise to success in the book Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul. “I think what I'm most proud of in 2023 is I saw a lot of people that you may not see work together roll up their sleeves and start working together for the betterment of the industry, and not for the betterment of them or their organization. They put that stuff aside and they really looked at our blueberry industry and they made the best decisions … for our industry, and that made me feel really proud because it's like one big happy blueberry family. ” - Shelly Hartmann Topics covered include: An introduction to Shelly Hartmann, USHBC chair, “Blueberry Chicks” podcaster and co-owner of True Blue Farms. An exploration of 2023 USHBC highlights and a discussion of what’s coming in 2024. Visit blueberryevents.org to learn more and register for The Blueberry Convention Feb. 28-March 1 in Tucson, Arizona.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Rachel Petraglia, culinary specialist for the fifth largest school nutrition program in the nation at the Georgia Department of Education. Petraglia spent almost 14 years working for the Gwinnett School Nutrition Program, developing recipes and menus for the district’s 182,000 students. While working for Gwinnett, she facilitated a blueberry partnership through the Culinary Institute of America’s Healthy Kids Collaborative program, and helped develop several new menu items featuring frozen blueberries. “I think that when you use fruit like blueberries and incorporate them into breakfast staples,  you end up with a product that is really delicious. That's where I want to see school nutrition and school breakfast get to. That's the direction I believe it's going to start moving in. ” - Rachel Petraglia Topics covered include: An introduction to Petraglia and her work for the Georgia Department of Education. An explanation of the collaboration between local school districts and the blueberry industry, and  how students responded to it.What Petraglia sees for the future of school nutrition and how she is getting students excited about this progress.Visit blueberryevents.org to learn more and register for the Blueberry Convention, Feb. 28-March 1 in Tucson, Arizona. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on January 18, 2024.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Krause, CEO of Frutura. Recently, this California-based fruit sales and marketing company announced it was acquiring two berry businesses: Sun Belle and Giddings Fruits. Before joining Frutura, Krause served as president of Wonderful Citrus, the largest integrated grower, packer and shipper of fresh citrus in the world, with 58,000+ acres of company-owned-and-operated farmland in California, Texas and Mexico. “You just have to have a pulse to understand what the potential consumption and how much the growth in this particular area has been. When you're in fresh produce and you think about, you know, the growing categories, you have to be in blueberries, right? It's just so much runway, and at the same time, it's such an interesting space.” – David Krause Topics covered include: An exploration of Krause’s journey in agriculture and how it led to his leadership role at Frutura.A look at how Frutura’s expansion into berries could contribute to the industry. Krause’s perspective on the power of up-and-coming blueberry genetics, and the trajectory he feels the blueberry industry is on.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on January 4, 2024. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Chelsea Consalo, vice president of operations for Consalo Family Farms in New Jersey, and Ellie Norris, owner/manager of Norris Blueberry Farms in Oregon. Consalo is a fourth-generation producer and serves on the New Jersey Blueberry Industry Advisory Council. Norris is a second-generation blueberry grower and packer who leads a fresh pack operation. They join us to talk about the future of the blueberry industry from the perspective of the next generation of blueberry leaders. “I think people don't realize how much of a full-time job produce is, don't really realize what it takes to get crops from the farm to the table and don't realize what's involved. Because we're vertically integrated, we have a hand in all parts of it.” - Chelsea Consalo“If we continue to open up markets around the world, we're going to open up demand for blueberries, and specifically U.S. blueberries. … There is a great demand for the quality fruit that the U.S. produces into a lot of countries out there.” -Ellie Norris Topics covered include: An introduction to Consalo and Norris. A look into the experiences of these next-generation blueberry producers and their dedication to the industry.A discussion of what Consalo and Norris think the future of blueberries looks like. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru, Andres Armstrong in Chile and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on December 21, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Chef Nate Weir, vice president of culinary at Modern Market Eatery and a champion of including blueberries on menus. After culinary school Weir worked in full-service, ingredient-driven restaurants in Boulder, and was the sous chef at Salt Bistro, 5280 Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” in 2009. He joined the Modern Market team in 2011 as its first chef and “corporate” employee. In 12 years growing the Modern Market brand, he has worn many hats – from purchasing and food cost to developing systems for training and operations. He has also led culinary efforts at Lemonade, a trend-setting California fast-casual restaurant, where he completed a full reboot of the colorful, unique menu and hand-crafted beverage program.“We like to take a good fresh ingredient like blueberries and try not to overthink it. It provides a ton of versatility on the menu. It's extremely flexible in the ways that we can use it. Guests love it and best of all, it's extremely good for you too. So it really checks all the boxes.” - Nate Weir Topics covered include: An introduction to Chef Weir and his work. A discussion of the versatility and advantages of bringing blueberries to menus, and how Chef Weir makes that happen. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. You’ll hear from Daniel Bustamante in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on December 14, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by NABC Director of Government Affairs Alyssa Houtby. Houtby leads the NABC’s advocacy efforts and works closely with Monument Advocacy, the council’s Washington, D.C.-based lobbying firm. She shares the current state of the Farm Bill and discusses what specialty producers have to look forward to.“We're well positioned with members of Congress and the administration to deliver for specialty crop producers. I think there's more interest than there ever has been in the past. We've got members on the House and Senate Ag Committee that represent states that are heavy into specialty crops. In the past, you may have seen more representation from your middle-America, row-crop producing states.” - Alyssa HoutbyTopics covered include: An introduction to Houtby and her role with NABC. The efforts and successes of the NABC’s advocacy on U.S. policy. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on November 23, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Magaña of Rabobank, who is responsible for covering and analyzing the U.S. and North American fresh fruit and vegetable industries. Tune in to learn about what’s happening with blueberry supply and demand globally, trends in the fresh and frozen markets, and what Magaña sees as the drivers that will impact blueberry economics in the future. “Over the past decade, global fresh blueberry exports expanded steadily, driven by (a) diversifying base of growing regions … countries with the highest growth rates in recent years include Peru, South Africa, Morocco, Mexico, Poland and Spain. (The) 2023-24 marketing season will be the first marketing year in recent history to see a negative year-on-year variation in global exports.” - David Magaña Topics covered include: An introduction to Magaña and his role with Rabobank. A look at his updated global blueberry report (Blueberry Update 2023: Operational efficiency and premiumization will transform the blueberry industry).What Magaña sees for the future of the blueberry industry, and what producers and stakeholders have to look forward to.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on November 9, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Andres Armstrong, executive director of the Chilean Blueberry Committee, to discuss the current season in Chile, the impact of the drop in Peruvian production and the future of blueberries in the region. Armstrong was also featured in episode 22, episode 75 and episode 134, as well as in several crop reports. “We are trying to work with our members, with the Chilean Blueberry Committee members, taking this opportunity to really prove to the market that Chile is a consistent, reliable supplier. Looking into the future, not specifically to this season, we want to be in the market in the coming years too.” - Andres ArmstrongTopics covered include: An introduction to Armstrong and his work for the Chilean Blueberry Committee.The impact the Peruvian blueberry disruption is having on other South American blueberry markets.The future of the Chilean blueberry industry, and the volume of high-quality blueberries it’s capable of producing. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Daniel Bustamante in Peru. This was recorded on November 4, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Ph.D., associate professor for small fruits at Washington State University’s (WSU) Mount Vernon Research Center. Since joining WSU in 2014, Devetter has developed a diverse research and extension program, with an emphasis on maximizing productivity, fruit quality and on-farm efficiencies. Her primary research areas include optimizing pollination services in small-fruit crops, improved end-of-life management of agricultural plastics used in small-fruit crop production, machine harvesting technologies and nutrient management. “Many growers have probably and unfortunately experienced episodes where they've had poor pollination and it means reduced fruit set, berry size and yields. So, taking a step back, what pollination is, is it's a precursor for fruit development in blueberries. We also see this relationship that the better pollination we receive the improvement in berry size as well, to a threshold, to a point. Larger berry size is really critical, not just for quality, but also for growers to try to meet their yield potential.” - Lisa Wasko DeVetter, Ph.D. You can also tune into DeVetter’s first appearance on “The Business of Blueberries” in episode 104, where she discusses the extreme weather events impacting blueberry crop in the Northwest.  Topics covered include: An exploration of the significance and importance of pollination, specifically in fruit production.The factors that influence and impact pollination practices and successes.The ongoing research underway related to blueberry pollination efforts, and what the future may hold.  Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on October 26, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), recaps the recent Blueberry Summit held in Savannah, Georgia, and highlights a couple of award-winning industry leaders. In this episode, we share the acceptance speeches of Ridley Bell who received the Duke Galletta Award, and John Shelford who received the Alex Weatherbee Award, as well discussing the inaugural inductees into the NABC Hall of Fame. “It's just been a tremendous ride with tremendous friends and many of you here I've known for years. I've been privileged to be able to still hang around. … We've been blessed immensely and we've seen a lot of changes, and I hope we've led some of those changes.” - John Shelford Topics covered include: Offering congratulations to Ridley Bell for winning the Duke Galletta Award and John Shelford for winning the Alex Weatherbee Award.Celebrating the first inductees into the NABC Hall of Fame – Denny Doyle and Art Galletta.Honoring these award recipients by exploring the wisdom they shared in their acceptance speeches. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on October 11, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Kevin Hamilton, vice president of global marketing for USHBC. Hamilton has over 20 years of marketing experience with a number of brands and commodities, and is bringing that expertise to the blueberry industry. In this episode, Hamilton and Cronquist discuss the current state of blueberry marketing promotion programs and the opportunities ahead to empower the industry to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit. “ The notion of 'world's favorite fruit' … favorite is an adjective that is associated with a point of view; with an attitude inside a person's mind. We're not going to get there just trying to sell blueberries. We're not going to get to that notion of favorite fruit. We need to impact how people think about that fruit as they're buying it. Think about that fruit as they're consuming it, right? We need to merge that with the market side of things.” - Kevin HamiltonTopics covered include: An introduction to Hamilton and his new role with USHBC. What Hamilton brings to the blueberry industry based on his background in  consumer packaged goods (CPG), his role with Avocados from Mexico and other marketing roles. The importance of data and understanding the consumer’s thought process in global marketing efforts.The barriers and opportunities ahead for growing the volume and value of blueberries globally.

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Lisa Coleman, director of healthy living for Giant Food, which includes 166 supermarkets in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C. As the leader of Giant's Healthy Living Team of credentialed nutrition professionals, Coleman helps guide an inclusive, all-foods-fit approach to educating and inspiring the community Giant serves through classes, store tours, workplace wellness programs, cook-alongs, social media engagement and a biweekly podcast, “Healthy Living by Giant.”“We have this kind of rallying cry that health is for everyone. It doesn't have to be exclusive or expensive. We really like to show people that there's healthy foods in every aisle of our stores and healthy living isn't perfect. It's not all or nothing. It's about the little things that you do everyday that support your health.” - Lisa ColemanTopics covered include: An introduction to Coleman and her role with Giant Food. An exploration of Coleman’s journey from in-store nutritionist to head of health strategy and health initiatives.A discussion of the partnerships, collaborations and projects Giant Food is pursuing to spread the healthy eating, healthy living message. A look at food and produce prescriptions, and the impact they have on grocery purchases. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ross Peterson, the newly appointed director of finance at USHBC. Peterson explains how the USHBC is funded, the assessment process and some changes that are underway. “I get to hear life experiences. I get to hear how businesses are being run. It gives me a great insight as to what's happening in the industry. … I get to hear a lot of really fun stories in the mix of answering questions on how to fill out a form. … We get to spend a lot of time talking about families and kids and what it's like to transition a farm from generation to generation to generation.” - Ross Peterson Topics covered include: An introduction to Peterson and role at USHBC. His journey from other prominent industries to the blueberry industry.The value of the assessment process and how it will impact producers in the coming year.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on September 20, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Luis Vegas, general manager of Proarandanos, the Peruvian Blueberry Growers & Exporters Association. What started as a promising year for production in Peru has turned into an unpredictable reversal of forecasts. In this episode, we contextualize what’s happening there to better understand what this means for Peruvian blueberry stakeholders.  “El Niño phenomenon sometimes can have a global impact, but also sometimes can have a more regional impact. And in this case, it's more of a regional impact of El Niño, which is causing us to have warmer temperatures in the ocean. It's causing us to have warmer temperatures in the atmosphere. … The variety that is being more affected by this warmer weather, it's a variety called Ventura. It's the variety that has the largest acreage here in Peru. So in Peru there's approximately 6,000 hectares of Ventura, the variety that is being more affected, and this affects directly Peru's volumes.” - Luis Vegas Topics covered include: Reconnecting with Vegas and his work at Proarandanos.The impact weather has had on blueberry production this year and what it could mean for future blueberry seasons in Peru.Why Vegas is optimistic about the future of blueberry production and varieties in Peru.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 13, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Rod Borden and Ben Bowditch of Lunds & Byerlys. Borden is the director of produce and Bowditch is the produce category manager for the grocery retailer that has 28 stores in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. Tune in to hear how National Blueberry Month and our power periods help keep blueberries top of mind with consumers thanks to support from retailers like Lunds & Byerlys.  “Our berry category runs about 18% of our distribution of our department, so it is by far our No. 1 category. When you talk about the berry piece of our business, it undoubtedly is the most important business that drives not only our quality perception, but I would say for us sales. ” – Rod Borden Topics covered include: An introduction to Borden and Bowditch, and Lunds & Byerlys. An exploration of the blueberry industry from the retailer’s perspective.Partnerships retailers can offer to producers. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schrieber in Washington, Brody Schropp in Michigan and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on September 7, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Amanda Griffin, our VP of Industry Engagement and Education and Dr. Jennifer McEntire, founder of Food Safety Strategies.  Amanda is leading our BerrySmart platform and helping us better address and provide leadership and resources for issues like food safety within our industry. In her more than 20 years in the industry, McEntire has become one of the most highly respected leaders in food safety, providing insights and guidance to member companies, regulatory partners and policy makers.“The best thing I think we can do is teach people how to think about food safety risks, how to have an awareness and be able to make informed decisions when environments do change, when things are changing, and at least have that ability to ask the question, is this changing my food safety risk profile? To at least keep food safety part of the conversation and not allow for complacency. ” - Dr. Jennifer McEntire Topics covered include: Join Amanda Griffin, our VP of Industry Engagement and Education and Dr. Jennifer McEntire, founder of Food Safety StrategiesExplore food safety resources available to blueberry stakeholders Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, T.J. Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on August 23, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Peter McPherson, general manager, Berry Category International, for Costa Group. For the first time in four years, the International Blueberry Organization was able to bring together blueberry industry stakeholders from around the world for a summit recently. McPherson shares his insights and experiences from the summit held in Poland this summer. “Poland, this year, I think provides the best outline of all the activities that the blueberry industry needs to look at. All the challenges, where we are today, where we need to go, how we stack up in the berry business, and I think that was one of the underlying positives that came out.” - Peter McPherson Topics covered include: An introduction to McPherson and his work.A discussion of McPherson’s insights and experiences from this summer’s International Blueberry Organization’s Summit.A review of recent updates from Poland and Ukraine, and blueberry growth in that region. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Havner in Oregon, Brody Shcropp in Michigan, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on August 16, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brandon Casteel, SPINS vice president of channel and retail partnerships, and Joe Vargas, USHBC/NABC director of business intelligence. Last year's attitudes and usage study found that growers and retailers could benefit from more detailed blueberry sales information. This led USHBC to make the strategic decision to switch from Nielson to SPINS data. With the new SPINS contract, USHBC gets an improved understanding of blueberry sales performance in grocery retail relative to other produce items by pack-size, by brand and measured by household buying rate and volume. “SPINS is a syndicated data provider. That's kind of fancy words for saying we track what is selling across hundreds of thousands of grocery stores all over the United States. … And then once we get that data, we're not done there, we add literally thousands of attributes on top of that information so that everyone can get smarter about what's on shelf, not just the retailers, but also the manufacturers, and then really everybody in the ecosystem.” - Brandon Casteel Topics covered include: An introduction to Casteel and Vargas.A discussion of the value SPINS offers blueberry producers.An explanation of the added insights SPINS provides and details on how blueberry stakeholders can access the data. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Jason Smith in British Columbia, Pat Goin in Indiana, Broady Schropp in Michigan, TJ Hafner in Oregon, and Alan Schreiber in Washington. This was recorded on August 9, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by two blueberry growers who are also members of our USHBC BerrySmart Technology Task Force: Paul Macrie of Macrie Bros. Blueberry Farms and Noel Sakuma of Sakuma Brothers. One of the highlights of The Blueberry Convention last February was showcasing the new technologies being developed for blueberry growers. Together, these industry stakeholders share their perspectives on upcoming technology for blueberry producers. “As far as technologies and groups of people kind of coming together to make positive change for our industry, I would say the pollination category is doing a very good job at seeing the problems that are here and kind of trying to address them. … I think that we really need to figure out how to get them into fields and get people to get firsthand access to the technology, and to get researchers more involved with this whole project.” - Noel Sakuma Topics covered include: An introduction to Macrie and Sakuma. A discussion of the advances being explored on BerrySmart Farms. A look at the topics being addressed by the BerrySmart Technology Task Force. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Jason Smith in British Columbia and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on August 2, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brian Bocock, a Michigan blueberry grower and the vice president of product management at Naturipe Farms. Bocock also serves as vice chair of the USHBC Promotion Committee. We’ve made it an annual tradition to talk to Bocock and get his analysis and outlook on the blueberry market. Listeners may remember him from Episode 002, Episode 046 and Episode 097. Joining Bocock and Cronquist is Grant Prentice, director of strategic insights at Padilla FoodMinds. Prentice has been an instrumental partner on many USHBC strategic initiatives, and offers great insight into our efforts to drive demand today and into the future. “As part of the Promotion Committee, one thing that we have focused on in July with retail, is doing some retail promotions to really help drive awareness in store in the consumer's face at the point of purchase time. …So that's a big deal over the next three or four weeks. I think that this is going to be the most critical point of the summer for domestic producers.” - Brian Bocock Topics covered include: An introduction to Bocock and Prentice.A review of the USHBC Promotion Committee's efforts to promote blueberries during National Blueberry Month.A glimpse into the future promotional opportunities the industry is preparing to pursue. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Pat Goin in Indiana, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Alan Schreiber in Washington, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Brody Schropp in Michigan. This was recorded on July 27, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Stephanie Stuckey, CEO of Stuckey’s Corporation and a Georgia pecan grower. Stuckey became CEO of Stuckey’s in November 2019 and is the third generation CEO of the family business, which not only produces and sells its iconic pecan candies and snacks, but also grows some of its own ingredients. Stuckey reinvented the brand and expanded it beyond its retail locations to e-commerce and other channels. She joins us to share her insights from this journey.“I think a lot of people in the farming industry relate to this because often farms are passed down from generation to generation. … I loved my grandfather, and I didn't want his legacy to be a bunch of shuttered stores on the side of the highway that people would kind of point at and say, remember what that used to be? …  I wanted to change our story, and it's so rare you get the chance to buy your family's business and bring it back to life. What a blessing and an honor that's been.” - Stephanie Stuckey Topics covered include: An introduction to Stuckey, her work and motivations. A look at the third generation Stuckey Corporation and the rebranding of the business. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Brody Schropp in Michigan, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Jody McPherson in North Carolina. This was recorded on July 12, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Bruce Summers, administrator for the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). In this role, Summers works on policy issues and oversight of a variety of programs, including grading of commodities, the USDA Market News Service and the National Organic Program. Prior to being named the administrator, Summer served in the AMS’ Fruit & Vegetable Program.   “It's been a really rewarding career and, you know, working with people in the produce industry, they're kind of special. They're kind of unique. It's something about that perishable product that has to move very quickly to get to the market. And it just makes it different and exciting and dynamic.” - Bruce SummersTopics covered include: An introduction to Summers, and a discussion on his background and current role with the AMS.An exploration of the benefits the AMS provides for producers. A discussion of the protective properties and benefits the PACA trust provides for producers.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Alan Schreiber in Washington, Jason Smith in British Columbia, Brody Shropp in Michigan, Elise Oliver in California, Mario Ramirez in Mexico, Jody McPherson in North Carolina and Matt Macrie in New Jersey. This was recorded on July 5, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Josh Scheel of Scenic Fruit Company, Bryan Sakuma of Sakuma Brothers, Amy Nguyen of Dragonberry Produce, Todd Sanders of the California Blueberry Commission and Renata Dalton, USHBC director of business development. This esteemed group of industry leaders shares insights into the Japanese market for blueberries, and what Japanese consumers are looking for in a blueberry product. We also explore what exporters can expect and look for in partnering with Japanese distributors, and where producers can go to start developing connections and pathways into the Japanese blueberry market.“You'll notice almost everything food related here has a very high attention to detail. …So with that, they expect very high-quality produce and blueberries, especially when you talk to buyers over here. They want to know variety. They want to know size. They want to know brix levels, pH, different things like that. So if you can really play up to that part and that strength of your crop and your processing methods, there's ways to have success here.” - Josh Scheel Topics covered include: An introduction to the podcast’s participants.An exploration of the current Japanese blueberry market and a look at the potential for American growers.Discussion of the path to building exporting partnerships with Japanese blueberry distributors for American producers. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Pat Goin in Indiana, Matt Macrie in New Jersey and Derrin Wheeler in Georgia. This was recorded on June 21, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Joe Vargas, director of business intelligence at the USHBC and NABC, Joe Powell of Wish Farms and Michael Hill of H&A Farms. These industry leaders discuss the recently launched BerrySmart Insights Fresh Platform. The platform helps the industry more accurately measure production, inventory and pricing with a weekly report on supply, demand, inventory and shipments. It’s an important part of the USHBC strategic plan to help growers and marketers become more efficient, resilient and innovative. “There's really three big pieces to this new launch that's going to provide the industry value. I think the first thing is bringing together data from throughout the industry for an accurate, timely understanding of the market. Number two, it provides more than just past and present data. It's also including a critical piece, which is forecasting, which will … help guide the industry, which is critical. And three, it's industry owned. It's governed by the USHBC and overseen by the USDA, and the industry decides on what's important and necessary to help innovate and encourage a more data-driven industry.” - Joe Vargas Topics covered include: An introduction to Vargas, Powell and Hill. A look at the launch and value of the BerrySmart Insights Fresh Platform by its developers and participants. The role the industry plays in the platform’s success and accuracy. How to contact “Data Joe” Vargas with questions about the platform. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Pat Goin in Indiana, TJ Hafner in Oregon and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on June 14, 2023. 

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined once again by Soren Bjorn president of Driscoll’s of the Americas. Bjorn has been a frequent guest on the show, with featured discussions on episodes 003, 004, 088 and 089. With more than 100 years of farming heritage and hundreds of independent growers around the world, Driscoll’s is passionate about growing great tasting berries.“We, in our mission, call that alignment and we work on that every day. That's everything from making sure that we have quality systems where growers can get immediate feedback from what is the quality of the berries that were picked that day to frequent market updates. … We also have a consumer panel that we talk to very regularly. This is thousands of people that have volunteered to be on our consumer panel, and we engage with them and we share that information back with the growers.” - Soren Bjorn Topics covered include: How prioritizing the customer has impacted Driscoll’s business. The systems and programs Driscoll’s has created to connect producers and consumers. Bjorn’s take on the future of the blueberry industry. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Matt Macrie in New Jersey, Pat Goin in Indiana, Elise Oliver in California,TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Mario Ramirez in Mexico and Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on June 7, 2023. 

The Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout important blueberry growing areas. Today you’ll hear from Brittany Lee in Florida, Derrin Wheeler in Georgia, Jody McPherson in North Carolina, Pat Goin in Indiana, Elise Oliver in California, TJ Hafner in Oregon, Alan Schreiber in Washington, Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This was recorded on May 31, 2023.