Topics in this issue of Behind the Blue:
- From the Chair: United in Inspiring Possibilities for the Future
- USHBC’s Hamilton Part of Panel on Building Produce Brand Success
- USHBC Applies for America First Trade Promotion Program
- USHBC Represented at 2 Industry Events
- ‘The Business of Blueberries’ Podcast Surges in 2025
From the Chair: United in Inspiring Possibilities for the Future
By Bryan Sakuma
USHBC Chair
Toward the end of last year, we put out a call for volunteers for the USHBC committees, subcommittees, advisory boards and task forces, and I’m excited to report that the response was impressive. So many leaders from our community offered their time and expertise in dozens of roles – and I’m grateful for all who stepped up to serve, and to everyone who generously donated their time to volunteer in the past.
The commitment each of you made to USHBC plays a huge role in our success – and will continue to do so throughout 2026.
Each of you is an inspiration to me, to your peers and to the entire blueberry industry. It really is amazing to see just how many people are willing to offer their time, expertise and knowledge to help USHBC build demand for blueberries and strengthen our industry’s profitable position in the marketplace.
To get a sense of the breadth of our community, see who’s generously volunteering and perhaps even motivate you to get involved, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to review our full list of officers and council, committee, advisory boards and task force members who are so kindly working on behalf of our industry. Please note that new council members for 2026 are awaiting USDA approval, and that list will be updated soon. While we await that approval, I will continue to serve as the chair and the 2025 council will remain in their representative leadership roles. Barring another government shutdown, the appointment process should be completed soon.
In the meantime, we are moving forward with our newly adopted strategic plan and staying focused on our vision of making blueberries the world’s favorite fruit!
USHBC’s Hamilton Part of Panel on Building Produce Brand Success
At the East Coast Produce Expo in Miami earlier this month, USHBC Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications Kevin Hamilton joined a dynamic panel to discuss a critical shift in produce marketing: Moving from a “commodity mindset” to building emotional equity.
After all, Consumer Packaged Good (CPG) brands have mastered the “need vs. want” bridge, and it’s time for fresh produce to do the same, Hamilton said.
“The biggest difference that I see between what we do here in agriculture and what I’ve seen in the CPG spaces is the understanding that profitability can be driven through behavioral and emotional means, not just sort of factual, tangible pieces; the left side of the brain, the want side of the brain, can drive as much of that profitability as anything else,” Hamilton said during the panel discussion.
And that’s where the greatest opportunity within the fresh produce marketing spaces lies: Creating something that has both high need and high want to the consumer.
During the presentation, the panel outlined a clear road map for shifting the industry’s momentum:
- Shift from “commodity” to “brand equity:” Whether through storytelling, consistent quality or values-based marketing, the goal is to create a brand identity that resonates before the consumer even reaches the store.
- Master the “need vs. want” psychology: We need nutrients, but we want an experience. Marketing should focus on factors like the joy of the first bite, the vibrancy of the color and the “hero moment” a parent feels when their child reaches for a healthy snack.
- Make data-driven decisions: Intuition is good, but data is better. By leveraging consumer insights and purchasing trends, marketers can stop guessing what shoppers want and start delivering personalized messages that convert interest into sales.
Get additional insights in the full article from The Packer.
USHBC Applies for America First Trade Promotion Program
In November 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a $285 million initiative designed to strengthen U.S. agriculture’s global competitiveness, expand exports and open new markets for American farmers. AFTPP will provide funding to U.S. agricultural organizations for high-impact marketing and promotion activities conducted between June 2026 and September 2028.
USHBC has applied for a $10 million share of these funds to support U.S. blueberry exports, protect hard-earned market positions, and deliver stronger economic returns for American growers and shippers.
If awarded, AFTPP funding will enable USHBC to implement a bold, sales-focused export strategy across eight priority markets: Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. Activities will include high-impact retail promotions, expanded trade show participation, targeted e-commerce campaigns and direct trade engagement initiatives. These efforts are designed to move quickly from promotion to transactions, converting interest into purchase commitments and driving measurable export growth.
For U.S. blueberry growers and shippers, this means more opportunities to diversify markets, secure larger and more consistent volume commitments and strengthen farmgate returns by moving additional product offshore. Expanding exports also helps relieve pressure in the domestic market through key marketing windows, supporting more stable pricing and reducing revenue volatility for growers.
If funded, USHBC’s AFTPP activities will complement ongoing work supported by other federal export programs and build on recent successes. Together, these efforts will position U.S. blueberries for near-term growth and long-term competitiveness – ensuring that American growers continue to thrive at home and abroad
USHBC Represented at 2 Industry Events
Earlier this month, the USHBC team hit the road to engage with growers and partners at two premier industry events: the Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference and the North Carolina Blueberry Open House.
At the Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference, our team hosted industry meetings and welcomed visitors to the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) table display. NABC Chair Teddy Koukoulis and USHBC and NABC President Kasey Cronquist met with industry leadership from Florida, Georgia and North Carolina to discuss the challenges and opportunities regionally, nationally and internationally, highlighting how the councils are the only two organizations that can do what they do for the blueberry industry, and that the work they are doing has never been more important than it is today.
Outreach and industry engagement efforts continued in North Carolina at the North Carolina Blueberry Open House, with Alyssa Houtby, senior director of government affairs and public policy, and Amanda Griffin, vice president of engagement and education. Houtby took to the stage to share NABC’s work, delivering a presentation highlighting our ongoing advocacy work and providing updates on the joint health policy initiatives led by the NABC and USHBC.
Between sessions, the team connected with attendees at our trade show table to share resources and blueberry gear.
‘The Business of Blueberries’ Podcast Surges in 2025
The USHBC’s “The Business of Blueberries” podcast reached new heights in 2025, solidifying its place as an audio resource for the global blueberry industry. With over 17,900 downloads across the year and 120,000+ all-time downloads, the podcast has become a vital hub for insights, innovation and leadership.
Last year’s top performing episodes were “Berry Business Leadership – A Conversation With Garland Reiter Jr.” “Farming, Finance and The Future With JC Clinard of Frutura” “Wade Jackson on Berry Genetics at Family Tree Farms,” “Innovation, Impact and International Growth: The IBOs’s Mission With Mario Steta” and “Developments in Blueberry Breeding With Paul Sandefur.”
Our listeners span the globe, reflecting the nature of the modern and global berry business. In 2025, our top listening regions included: the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico and Peru.
As we move into the new year, you can expect deeper dives into the technology and consumer trends shaping our industry. Have feedback on the podcast or suggestions for topics or guests? Email Gabriella Gebhardt at [email protected].
Don’t miss an episode! You can listen to the latest insights on the USHBC website, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.