Topics in this issue of Behind the Blue:
- Grab a Boost of Blue Driving Sales of Blueberries
- Blueberries Feed College Students
- The USDA AMS Commodity Procurement Program Meetings Return
USHBC’s strategic positioning and call to action, Grab a Boost of Blue, fueled by smart promotions throughout the year, is designed to tap into consumers’ passion for blueberries. It inspires and motivates them to enjoy more of the fruit they love, in more ways and more often.
The Chilean Blueberry Committee (CBC) continues to be active in both the retail and online grocery space, coupling its Blueberries from Chile branding with Grab a Boost of Blue. CBC ran two campaigns with Safeway and Sprouts that feature Grab a Boost of Blue in the retailers’ print, email and online retail communications.
“We love smart marketers who see the importance of incorporating Grab a Boost of Blue into their marketing,” said Jennifer Sparks, USHBC’s vice president of marketing and communications. “A collective voice garners awareness and resonates with consumers, which is good for the industry as a whole and individual businesses, and drives demand.”
More than 50 forward-thinking industry stakeholders now are licensed to use the Grab A Boost of Blue logo in their marketing efforts, and the list is growing. Not yet licensed? It’s free and easy. Just go to ushbc.org/license to sign the agreement and download the digital tools and brand style guide. For your retailer partners, pass along our toolkit hub designed specifically for them on our retailer site here.
If you’ve seen Grab a Boost of Blue used in marketing materials or are currently using the logo in your marketing efforts, we’d love to know about it. Send it our way by emailing [email protected]!
It’s time to report another USHBC foodservice program win! Blueberries are on the student menu in a big way at the University of Connecticut (UConn), which has a student population of more than 30,000. UConn’s culinary team recently launched a blueberry barbecue sauce based on inspiration they took from USHBC’s culinary innovation program and a series of 1:1 meetings between UConn Director of Culinary Development, Chef Rob Landolphi, and USHBC’s foodservice team and partner agency Sterling Rice Group.
Chef Landolphi created a new line of sandwiches featuring the blueberry barbecue sauce, which recently was added to the student menu:
- Slow-roasted pulled pork on a freshly baked poppy seed roll with blueberry barbecue sauce and fresh cilantro.
- Shaved steak on a sesame roll with blueberry barbecue sauce and caramelized red onions.
- Slow-roasted pulled chicken thighs on an olive oil ciabatta with blueberry barbecue sauce and shredded red cabbage.
“This sauce was originally created for a themed dinner in one of our dining halls, and after hearing positive comments from customers, we decided to expand it and use it for sandwiches in retail as well as catering,” said Chef Landolphini. “Students love blueberries; all it took was one bite and we had them hooked.”
Chef Landolphini shared even more feedback about his excitement and inspiration for blueberries: “We have always used blueberries at UConn, in our bakery for blueberry bars, muffins and pies, and in dining halls for pancakes and smoothies. But (after connecting with USHBC), we have started experimenting using blueberries with more lunch and dinner items.”
“We know that customers gravitate to blueberries, not only because of the flavor profile, but also because of the health benefits. We find that blueberries are not overly sweet, so they work well in savory dishes, such as blueberry au jus, aiolis, sandwich dressings and spreads, as well as sauces. We still have a lot of recipes to create, and a lot more creativity to come, but blueberries will definitely be part of our recipe repertoire going forward,” he added.
“UConn’s adoption of blueberries for their menu is a great example of the benefit of developing solid relationships and showcasing the innovation, versatility and efficiency that blueberries add,” said Jennifer Sparks, USHBC’s vice president of marketing and communications.
This blueberry innovation will be a featured editorial in Flavor & the Menu’s April/May Best of Flavor issue, which will further promote the sweet-to-savory versatility of blueberries in the foodservice channel.
The college and university audience is a key target for USHBC, which has plans for more strategic activations to elevate blueberries in 2022. “We look forward to sharing more stories like this that illustrate how our efforts are resonating with key volume-driving audiences for the industry,” Sparks added.
After a pandemic-driven pause, the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS) Commodity Procurement Program will be holding its Annual Industry Meetings for existing qualified vendors, interested new vendors small and large, and other stakeholders. The meetings provide the latest program updates, as well as opportunities for AMS vendors and other producers and processors to collaborate with USDA staff from AMS and the Food and Nutrition Service.
USHBC will provide more specific information from USDA about the meeting times, and an agenda will be issued in the near future.
The meetings will be held over three days (March 1-3), with each day dedicated to specific commodity groups. The meeting for specialty crops, which includes blueberries, will be on March 1. For more information about the AMS Commodity Procurement Program, visit the website.