The Business of Blueberries

After more than a year, the USHBC team was able to hit the road again, traveling to the Midwest for a series of meetings and events with members of the Michigan blueberry industry and grower community. On this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we sit down with two leaders of the Michigan blueberry industry to revisit the trip, discuss some of the key takeaways, and explore the state’s unique blueberry culture. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Jill Scofield, USHBC and NABC director of communications and industry relations, are joined by Rex Schultz, grower and owner of Heritage Blueberries, member of the USHBC Innovation & Technology Committee and executive director of the Michigan Blueberry Advisory Committee; and Denny Vander Kooi, owner of Woodland Berries, chair of the Michigan Blueberry Commission and member of the NABC Trade Task Force. “What was really nice about the whole trip was the fact that we could get growers in front of you and give them a face to the name, and let them learn more about the USHBC and the role it plays in our lives.” - Rex Schultz“It’s very interesting being in a traditional blueberry growing area where a lot of people used to pick blueberries as kids. We’re servicing some fourth-generation and fifth-generation people now who started picking with their great-grandpa.” - Denny Vander KooiTopics covered include: Key takeaways from meetings with Michigan blueberry growers.Understanding challenges and opportunities in Michigan.The state’s blueberry culture. Direct-to-consumer relationships and U-pick farms.The importance of industry and grower engagement in USHBC efforts.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Eric Stafne in Mississippi, and Bill Steed in California. This was recorded on May 26, 2021.Marketing BoostIn this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses June’s Brain Health Month power period, during which USHBC will be highlighting recipes, resources, nutrition information and health research to shine a spotlight on blueberries as a delicious, simple and snackable option in a healthy diet. More information and resources you can share in your social channels are available in USHBC’s Brain Health Month Toolkit. Complete Our 'Business of Blueberries' SurveyAs we approach the 50th episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we hope you’ll take a few minutes to share your feedback with us. This brief survey is your chance to share what you like about the podcast, what we could do better, and what topics you’d like us to explore further. Plus, by completing the survey, you’ll be entered to win a “Business of Blueberries” YETI tumbler!

While 2020 was disruptive for the blueberry export industry, more markets are opening up across the globe, and the industry has only scratched the surface of global market potential. On this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we sit down with an export expert to discuss what’s in store for 2021 blueberry export markets. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Alicia Adler, vice president of global business development for USHBC and NABC, are joined by Terry Fasel, director of international sales at Oregon Berry Packing Inc. “The consumer is going to tell us what we need to ship. Because it doesn’t matter what I grow, it matters what they want. And if we can provide that, they’re going to take it.” - Terry Fasel“The thing that’s hard to wrap my mind around is how many different [Chinese] markets you can play in. It’s almost infinite … we’re going to see a lot of fruit flowing into the China from the U.S.” - Terry FaselTopics covered include: Assessing the uncertainty in the export market coming out of the pandemic.What consumers are looking for in blueberries, and opportunities to market health research internationally. Opportunities for the U.S. blueberry industry in the Chinese market.  Emerging markets in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Neil Moore in North Carolina, Eric Stafne in Mississippi, Ken Patterson in Florida, Bill Steed in California and Derrin Wheeler in Georgia. This was recorded on May 19, 2021.Marketing BoostIn this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses National Blueberry Cheesecake Day, happening May 26. To celebrate, USHBC created a shareable social media image that’s available to download and share on your social media channels.

Ridley Bell, a familiar name to many in the blueberry industry, is a pioneering grower in Australia. Bell expanded commercial blueberry production in Australia several years ago, and his research helped develop blueberry genetics that are now used around the world. On this episode, we pick Bell’s brain about blueberries in Australia and the blueberry industry in general. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Ridley Bell, owner of Mountain Blue Orchards in New South Wales, Australia, and a blueberry genetics pioneer. “Don’t ever get away from the humanness [of blueberries] … at the end of the day, it’s going to be the kids saying to mom. ‘Mom, have you got the pint of blueberries?’ That’s where the growth is going to be.” - Ridley Bell“People are more and more aware these days of their health … [health] is the message that the [blueberry industry] should keep selling.” - Ridley BellTopics covered include: Bell’s background and the history of Mountain Blue Orchards. How Bell selected seedlings that were ideal for the Australian growing climate. Improving global blueberry genetics, and what consumers are looking for in blueberries.Where does the industry go from here? Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, and Eric Stafne in Mississippi. This was recorded on May 12, 2021.Marketing BoostOn this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how QR codes can help marketers quickly and easily share information with consumers across all marketing channels. Go to USHBC.org/QRcodes for more information. 

With the 2021 domestic blueberry crop projected to be one of the largest on record, it’s time for growers and marketers across the country to get creative in moving blueberries. On today’s episode, we chat with a blueberry marketer and a produce data expert to assess the 2021 blueberry crop and ways for the industry to manage the large load. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Brian Bocock, Michigan blueberry grower and vice president of sales at Naturipe Farms, and Tom Barnes, chief executive officer of Category Partners. “Bottom line is we got a lot of fruit coming at us … this year could be the first time ever that both May and June put more fresh blueberries into the marketplace than the month of July, and that will be fascinating to watch.” - Brian Bocock“Among the few categories that are still positive in the produce department … blueberries and strawberries. Both of those are still powerhouse … 2021 looks like this is ramping up already to be a great year for blueberries.” - Tom BarnesTopics covered include: Progress made by the produce industry in collecting data. How the industry will manage the large 2021 blueberry crop.Performance of various categories at grocery stores and how blueberries are outperforming the overall produce trend. Why the 2021 crop is so exciting for marketers. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Mario Ramírez in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, Ken Patterson in Florida and Alex Cornelius in Georgia. This was recorded on May 5, 2021.Marketing BoostSocial media is a vital part of the blueberry marketing mix. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how social media can be used to drive interest in blueberries, and the tools USHBC provides for your social media channels. Check out USHBC’s Toolkits and Marketing Materials here. 

Meeting with and interviewing stakeholders to take the pulse of an industry is critical to any business sector or organization. To achieve this for the blueberry industry, USBHC contracted with public relations veteran David Rockland. In this episode of the “Business of Blueberries” we have a conversation with Rockland about his communications philosophy, insights from the recent USBHC industry survey, and how companies can best transition to the next phase of their journeys. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by David Rockland, partner and CEO of Rockland Dutton Research & Consulting.“The focus needs to be to build the industry. Supply has begun to outpace demand, we’ve got to get demand up. Demand goes up, [then] price goes up, people are in a better place. And that’s really got to be the focus.” - David Rockland“You don’t always know that you've heard from everybody. You want make sure you do the best job you can, but you also want to put it on the people [to speak up] … whatever any of the people who listen to this podcast want to see out of USHBC — doing, funding, being for the next five years — right about now would be a good time to say something.” - David RocklandTopics covered include: Rockland’s background and experience in the public relations sector.How the Barcelona Principles became the industry standard for communications. Results and observations from recent industry surveys conducted by USHBC. How USHBC and NABC can work in conjunction to achieve industry goals.Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, Ken Patterson in Florida and Alex Cornelius in Georgia. This was recorded on April 28, 2021.

While any blueberry grower knows orchards aren’t synonymous with blueberries, there are key similarities between fruit grown in orchards and highbush blueberries. With that in mind, the innovations happening in orchards can potentially have implications for blueberry cultivation. Today, we talk to two experts about the Pacific Northwest collaborative “Smart Orchard” project and how it can be applied to blueberry production. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Steve Mantle, founder and CEO of innov8.ag, and Ines Hanrahan, Ph.D., executive director at the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. “[Growers] need more data, we think, to help better inform how to really start producing at the most potential down the road.” - Steve Mantle“This is the easiest way to improve your product and to establish yourself in the market … ultimately, the goal is to create and maintain sustainable businesses for our stakeholders. ” - Ines Hanrahan, Ph.D.Topics covered include: Backgrounds of Mantle, Hanrahan, innov8.ag and the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.How the Smart Orchard project came together in conjunction with the commission.Types of data being collected and how it’s being applied in the field.Creating a dashboard and sharing data that fosters a collaborative industry environment. Read more about the Smart Orchard project here. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on April 21, 2021.Marketing BoostCreative promotion is what turns blueberry awareness into a blueberry purchase and eventually a blueberry passion, which turns consumers into blueberry enthusiasts. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC vice president of marketing and communications Jennifer Sparks discusses how blueberry-specific days can help create enthusiasts. 

Jill Scofield recently joined the NABC and USHBC as the director of communications and industry relations. In this newly created role, Jill is responsible for planning, directing and overseeing USHBC and NABC industry communications programs involving growers, marketers, exporters, importers, distributors and other stakeholders. In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” we sit down with Jill to chat about all things industry relations. Host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jill Scofield, director of communications and industry relations for USHBC and NABC. “I’m really excited to not just bring my experience to the table, but that passion for working on the behalf of agriculture. Again, [blueberries] may be a different commodity, but men and women are still working really hard to produce a really nutritious product and one I wholeheartedly believe in. ” - Jill Scofield“Having that opportunity to both represent the industry in that consumer-facing message and continuing to boost and grow that consumer demand for a product that just continues to increase in quality and consistency.” - Jill ScofieldTopics covered include: Jill’s experience in the beef industry and how it relates to blueberries. Engaging both the USHBC and NABC sides of blueberries. Historical context of the industry relations aspect of USHBC. Moving forward with a hybrid of in-person and digital communication methods. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Bill Steed in California, and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on April 14, 2021.Marketing BoostUSHBC’s new strategic positioning and call-to-action, Grab a Boost of Blue, taps into consumers’ passion for blueberries and motivates them to enjoy more of the fruit they love. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses one of the consumer touch points for the 2021 Grab a Boost of Blue campaign: YouTube advertisements. To watch the new Grab a Boost of Blue YouTube advertisements, visit ushbc.org/BoostAds. 

With the ever-expanding global reach of blueberries, more companies are using the fruit to experiment with new and innovative products that highlight the best qualities of blueberries. On this episode of the “Business of Blueberries,” we discuss the market possibilities for blueberries in global consumer packaged goods.Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Alicia Adler, vice president of global business development for USHBC and NABC, are joined by Lynn Dornblaser, director of innovation & insight at Mintel and Chef Dina Paz, culinary director at Sterling-Rice Group (SRG).“What’s important is to look and see what challenger brands are doing – those are the little companies. Quite often, they come into existence because someone is passionate about an idea and they decide they gotta [make a product]. Look to see what’s going on with the small companies that are doing some experimenting, look to see what’s happening [across the food landscape], especially on social media, and especially with younger consumers.” - Lynn Dornblaser “Blueberries already come with this really nutrient-dense, health halo story around it. The good thing about that is we want to see that across so many different products and categories in the CPG space … [blueberries'] functionality can be anything from very health forward … to really indulgent… you can play with it in just about any category. ” - Chef Dina PazTopics covered include: How innovations and trends get shared across the consumer packaged goods industry. Trends gaining traction and how they can be applied to blueberries.The versatility of blueberries and how they straddle both healthy and indulgent food trends. Trends vs. fads and how to tell the difference between the two. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru, Bill Steed in California, and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on April 7, 2021.Marketing BoostProviding professional and attention-grabbing marketing resources for the blueberry industry is one of the main functions of USHBC. On this week’s Marketing Boost, USHBC/NABC Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jennifer Sparks discusses the latest call to action: Brain Health Month. View the toolkit here. 

On today’s episode of the Business of Blueberries, we discuss the 2021 California Blueberry harvest and how the Blueberry Marketing Resource Information Center (B-MRIC) has changed crop reporting for California growers. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Todd Sanders, the executive director of the California Blueberry Commission and Bill Steed, a grower and packer in San Diego County for Fairfield Farms. “[A grower] looked at the data that was coming down the [B-MRIC] pipeline and they looked at the three-year average that we put out in the B-MRIC report. And they said, ‘I think the volume is going to be peaking in a couple of weeks. I want to get ahead of that.’ [The grower] harvested, they got their crew out of there, and they were done. They weren't going to wait” - Todd Sanders “Well, the downside is if we do nothing, is we get to see the same thing happen, and the status quo in our industry right now is not acceptable.” - Bill SteedCheck out the B-MRIC report from the 2019-2020 California Blueberry Commission annual report here. Watch the full roundtable discussion on data with Kasey Cronquist along with Emiliano Escobedo of the Hass Avocado Board and Manuel Michel of the National Mango board. Topics covered include: Background of Sanders and SteedPreview of the California growing seasonComprehensive overview of the B-MRIC reporting systemImplementing a crop reporting system nationally Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peruo and Ken Patterson in Florida. This was recorded on March 31, 2021Marketing BoostSocial media and influencer marketing is an important part of driving blueberry demand in USHBC’s new Grab a Boost of Blue positioning and consumer call to action. This week’s Marketing Boost details how “blueberry cookie” recipe went viral. You can watch the video on TikTok here

At last week’s NABC/USHBC Spring Conference & Meetings, one of the many highlights was a “fireside chat” with Cindy Jewell, president of Jewell Marketing and Jeff Cady, director of produce and floral at Tops Market in Buffalo, New York. Together they discuss retail challenges and opportunities post COVID-19. In this week’s episode, we’ll replay some of this enlightening conversation, including strategy and promotional initiatives including using the “Boost of Blue” campaign “I think people, those who didn't know, figured out that berries are good for you and they have antioxidants and they're part of the solution for immunity and those types of things... It brought a lot of people in and they started buying it and they became loyal weekly shoppers of that item.” - Jeff Cady“We're fortunate enough to be selling a product that is very, very good for you and has so many positive things associated with it. It's a win. I think people are going to continue to move in that direction.” - Jeff CadyLast week was the NABC USHBC Spring Conference! Be sure to visit the website to access all meetings and proceedings covered at this year's virtual conference if you missed it.Topics covered include: The perspective of the produce department on the impact of COVID-19 How the trends of 2020 are expected to fair in 2021 as consumers overcome the global pandemicExplore the promotions used and working for grocers to encourage buying of blueberriesCrop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. Today you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru and Mario Ramirez in Mexico. This report was recorded on March 24, 2021. Marketing BoostOur newly-redesigned website offers research, tools, and materials for everyone in the blueberry industry. Visit www.USHBC.org to check it out today, and pick up your Grab a Boost of Blue toolkit while you’re there.

The impacts of COVID-19 were felt in nearly every industry, but few more acutely and suddenly than the restaurant industry. Across the world, foodservice had to quickly adapt to a world that was ordering take-out food as restaurants sat empty. But with every crisis comes an opportunity to adapt and innovate, which is where the “Restaurant of the Future” comes in. On today’s episode, we have a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the foodservice industry and what comes next as the world emerges from a pandemic. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jeremy Kay, head of design at USHBC foodservice agency partner Sterling-Rice Group (SRG), and Tamra Scroggins, executive chef & director of culinary at Grill Concepts.“We really had to take a step back to move forward . … I firmly believe that we are in this era now of rapid change and we will see things coming out of this pandemic that will change the way we service restaurants and how we engage in this space forever.” - Jeremy Kay“[Blueberries] fit so well in so many things — you can put them in a savory dish, you can put them in a sweet dish, you can do both a sweet and savory dish. I think they’re pretty versatile and they’re just got an awesome color. I don’t think it’s a trend — I think people will shift toward eating healthier, being healthier and eating things that are healthy for them.” - Tamra ScrogginsWatch the Restaurant of the Future video here. Topics covered include: What to expect from restaurants as we come out of the pandemic. How restaurants changed their business models. Engaging civic leaders on keeping outdoor dining environments. How the pandemic inspired health-conscious restaurant menus and how blueberries are used on these menus. SRG and USHBC’s “Restaurant of the Future.”  Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico and Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on March 17, 2021.

After rethinking the mechanical harvester, FineField created a tool it deemed “The Harvy.” As opposed to mechanical over-the-row (OTR) harvesting machines, The Harvy has low investment costs and provides higher quality berries. In this episode, we talk to two industry members who were involved with the development of the Harvy and discuss how FineField came up with its innovative mechanical harvesting solution. Hosts Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), and Rod Cook, industry veteran and the chair of the Blueberry Technology and Innovation Committee, are joined by Marcel Beelen, director of FineField in the Netherlands, and Dean Maerz of Klaassen Farms in Abbotsford, B.C.“It was obvious [the industry] needed a product that could increase productivity, but could solve the main problem of mechanical harvesters — which is quality and loss of product. With that in mind, we said ‘OK, we need to have a guiding design principle … no bruising no losing’” - Marcel Beelen“Nobody had really rethought [mechanical harvesting] from the ground up. And that’s what I was looking for; I was looking for a different approach, something groundbreaking. Eventually, I narrowed my search down to three companies — all three were in Europe — but the innovation at FineField stood out above the crowd to me. ” - Dean MaerzTopics covered include: Maerz and Beelen’s backgrounds. How FineField was founded.The design principles of FineField’s mechanical harvester.The importance of industry feedback when developing machinery for the blueberry industry. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Luis Vegas in Peru. This was recorded on March 10, 2021.

With over 25 years of experience in grower relations, marketing, growing and business development for the blueberry industry, Bo Slack is a natural choice to be the chair of the Industry Relations Committee for USHBC. On this week’s episode, host Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Slack for a comprehensive update on USHBC’s industry relations efforts. “The USHBC and the NABC have been critical for our organization and myself to grow and really stay in touch with the grower community and the blueberry industry.”  - Bo Slack“Aligning our strategic goals is so crucial to how we invest for the future and how we grow the blueberry category.” - Bo SlackTopics covered include: Overview of the USHBC Industry Relations Committee and its current goals.Navigating industry outreach during the pandemic. Takeaways from the recent USHBC Industry Relations survey. Facilitating the USHBC elections process. Crop ReportThe Blueberry Crop Report is an update on crop conditions and markets throughout North and South America. In this episode, you’ll hear from Juan Soria Morales in Mexico, Luis Vegas in Peru and Andres Armstrong in Chile. This was recorded on March 3, 2021.