- From the Chair: A Message of Support as the Domestic Season Begins
- Targeted Retail Promotions Continue to Drive Solid Gains
- USHBC Awarded Over $500K in MAP Funding to Expand Export Opportunities
- Join USDA Trade Missions to Australia, Vietnam This Fall
- Raso Named 2026 National Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year
- Blueberries Star in Uber Eats Social Media Ad
- Mark Your Calendar: The Blueberry Convention, Sept. 22-24
From the Chair: A Message of Support as the Domestic Season Begins
By Bryan Sakuma
USHBC Chair
As we stand at the starting line of our domestic crop year, Mother Nature recently reminded us that she holds the playbook.
The recent freeze in Florida is already having a market impact to the kickoff of our domestic season. Our thoughts are with the Florida growers who are currently navigating the aftermath. We know how much heart and hard work went into the crop, and the council stands in full support of our Florida peers as they assess the damage and work toward recovery.
While the season may be starting out with challenges, the resilience of this industry never fails to impress me. To our growers in the upcoming domestic states: We’re rooting for a smooth transition and a productive, bountiful season ahead.
I’m also rooting for Ellie Norris, our incoming USHBC chair, who has been elected to a one-year term by our council. Ellie will assume the role once the 2026 council is seated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Here’s to a season of growth, grit and, of course, great blueberries.
A Vision for Our Future
By Ellie Norris
Incoming USHBC Chair
As I prepare to step into the role of chair, I do so with a deep sense of responsibility and a clear understanding of what this role represents for our industry. As we enter the domestic season and extend our support to our colleagues in Florida navigating recent challenges, I’m reminded of the resilience and heart that define this industry.
My immediate priority is ensuring a smooth transition, while staying disciplined about what matters most: growing demand for blueberries and executing on our shared vision to make blueberries the world’s favorite fruit. The marketplace is evolving quickly. Competitive pressures are real, margins are tight and global supply dynamics continue to shift. That reality makes our work more critical than ever. We are not simply marketing a product; we are stewarding a category in a complex global environment and working to keep blueberries relevant, accessible and top-of-mind for consumers.
I firmly believe the USHBC exists to create larger opportunities for people across this industry — opportunities to build sustainable businesses, support their families and leave a lasting legacy. That mission matters. Whether you are a grower here at home, an international producer, an importer, exporter or marketer, I am committed to serving the entire blueberry community with clarity, focus and purpose.
I look forward to being officially seated as chair and getting to work alongside our talented staff and industry partners as we implement the new strategic plan. We have ambitious goals ahead, and we will only achieve them by working together.
Targeted Retail Promotions Continue to Drive Solid Gains
To drive blueberry sales into 2026, the USHBC is collaborating with eight major retail partners in Q1, spanning more than 15,000 locations, to increase visibility and purchase frequency. These confirmed partners include AHOLD (Giant Martin’s/Carlisle), Albertsons, Giant Eagle, Jewel, Kroger, Safeway, Sam’s Club, Walmart and Whole Foods. By leading with these high-impact partnerships, our strategy focuses on driving volume and frequency during high-traffic periods – specifically Heart Health Month in February, leading into continued healthy eating in March – to ensure blueberries remain a top-of-mind choice for both new and returning, health-conscious shoppers.
Q4 2025 Performance Review
Our recent Q4 efforts focused on positioning blueberries as the ultimate “football snacking” alternative to cut through the noise of the holiday season. We activated key retail partnerships designed to strengthen visibility, influence shopper behavior and drive category growth, earning significant gains where our marketing was most concentrated. One retailer partner shared, “USHBC’s retail promotional support has elevated our shopper engagement and helped drive incremental category performance during a highly competitive selling period.”
Performance Highlights:
- National retailer with 2K locations: YOY growth of +13% in dollar sales, +21% in units.
- National retailer with 3K locations: YOY growth of +15% in dollar sales, +9% in units.
- National retailer with 600 locations: YOY growth of +16% in dollar sales, +22% in units.
Key Success Drivers:
- Data-driven precision – We prioritized partners with robust first-party data, allowing us to sync with their digital media networks and geo-target shoppers more effectively.
- Integrated journeys – By connecting digital touchpoints with in-store displays, we created a seamless path to purchase.
- Top performers – A major corporate chain and several premium, hyper-local channels delivered exceptional category growth.
For a more detailed report on Q4 performance and to learn about additional upcoming retail promotions, please contact [email protected].
USHBC Awarded Over $500K in MAP Funding to Expand Export Opportunities
USHBC has been awarded $513,948 from the U.S. Department of Food and Agriculture’s (USDA) Market Access Program (MAP) to expand export opportunities for USA Blueberries.
The MAP and Foreign Market Development (FMD) programs are longstanding cost-share partnerships that help producers build and maintain a competitive presence in the global marketplace.
“USDA’s market development programs crowd in private sector capital to help promote U.S. food, fuel and fiber to foreign buyers,” said Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg. “Partnering with industry ensures that these resources are deployed efficiently and effectively, and that decisions are farmer-driven.”
MAP funding is invaluable to the blueberry industry. The USHBC maintains a robust international market development program aimed at expanding global demand for U.S. blueberries through targeted trade and consumer initiatives. Priority markets include South Korea, Japan, India, Mexico, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.
All activities are strategically designed to build awareness, drive preference and increase sales of U.S. blueberry products across both fresh and processed categories.
Join USDA Trade Missions to Australia, Vietnam This Fall
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is hosting multiple agribusiness trade missions this year to help expand and diversify global market opportunities for U.S. agriculture. In addition to participating in the Philippines trade mission April 13-16, USHBC plans to join two additional USDA-led missions this fall.
Mark your calendars and plan to join us!
USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission to Melbourne, Australia: August/September 2026
Following recent trade wins in Australia, U.S. producers can take advantage of major trade breakthroughs that give greater access to U.S. beef exporters and capitalize on comprehensive duty-free market access under the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission to Vietnam: November 2026
USDA maintains a large footprint in Vietnam, working to increase market opportunities for U.S. producers in one of the fastest growing Southeast Asian economies. This trade mission will capitalize on several key market wins, including preferential access for certain U.S. agricultural products and improved market access for several commodities.
To learn more or express interest in joining the USHBC delegation, reach out to USHBC Director of Global Business Development Haiying Zhang at [email protected].
Additional information about USDA trade missions can be found at fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions.
To receive email updates, go to public.govdelivery.com/accounts/usdafas/subscriber/new, enter your contact information and select the “Trade Missions” topic.
Raso Named 2026 National Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year
Brandon Raso, farm operations manager at Variety Farms in New Jersey, a USHBC Council member and treasurer and past North American Blueberry Council (NABC) Government Affairs Committee member, was named the 2026 National Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year by Outstanding Farmers of America. The award recognizes a farmer age 21-40 for outstanding career achievements in agriculture, a commitment to soil and water conservation, and contributions to their community.
Raso was honored at the 63rd annual National Outstanding Young Farmers Awards Congress earlier this month in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
His commitment to excellence and his forward-thinking approach to farm operations make Raso a true standout in the blueberry industry and in the next generation of agriculture.
Congratulations, Brandon! All of us at USHBC can’t wait to see what you do next!
Blueberries Star in Uber Eats Social Media Ad
In case you missed it, blueberries starred in an Uber Eats social media ad leading up to the Big Game earlier this month.
In a whirlwind of conspiracy-theory logic, actors Matthew McConaughey and Parker Posey connect the dots: Former Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders (in that iconic blue jersey) is actually a subtle psychological plant for … “Blue Barry” = Blueberry.
The video was part of Uber Eats’ massive ad campaign making the case that “football is selling food” and has been doing so for decades.
In response, @blueberries on Instagram shared and boosted a fun carousel post to encourage our followers to join the conversation on other “legendary berries,” which garnered about 4.4K likes and more than 213K impressions among a unique reach of 147K+. We also partnered with influencers to reshare the post, engage with the ad and post their own game day content featuring blueberries, hitting a collective additional 411K+ impressions and 30K engagements.
Mark Your Calendar: The Blueberry Convention, Sept. 22-24
This fall, the blueberry industry is gathering in Monterey, California, for The Blueberry Convention. There are dozens of reasons why this event is must-attend, and this video shares many of them!
Mark your calendar now and plan to join us to:
- Discover cutting-edge advancements and industry tech.
- Learn to optimize productivity with smart, field-ready solutions.
- Explore innovative solutions and smart tools on Blueberry Lane. Network and exchange ideas with the industry’s best
Reserve your room today! Sign up and take advantage of early-bird pricing when registration opens in March.