Topics in this issue of Behind the Blue:
- August Nielsen Report Now Available
- New Resources for National Pancake Day and the Holiday Season!
- Virtual Registration for the 2021 Fall Event is Still Open
August Nielsen Report Now Available
Our most recent Nielsen report for the week ending August 28, 2021, is available here. The report shows total blueberry sales up +3.2% in dollars, but down -2.8% in units and -3.3% in volume relative to August 2020. Sales trends were positive for fresh blueberries in August, but frozen blueberry sales continue to show softness in comparison to record-setting pandemic lockdown sales of 2020.
Nielsen retail sales for the month of August show fresh blueberry retail dollars were up +4.8% , but volume was down -2.5%, while frozen blueberries were down -8.3% in dollars and -8.7% in volume. Although lower than the record-setting sales in August of last year, frozen and fresh blueberry sales are still elevated relative to historical levels. When compared to retail sales in August 2019, fresh volume is up +17.2% in 2021, and frozen blueberry retail volume is +23.5% higher.
These retail sales reports are intended to supplement our industry members’ internal data, giving you a clearer picture of the marketplace and supporting more informed business decisions and plans.
The reports provide a high-level summary of:
- Blueberry, berry category and produce category performance.
- Overall dollar, unit and volume sales trends for frozen and fresh.
- Trends by pack size.
- Trends by Nielsen region.
Summaries of the preceding month’s retail sales performance are posted at the end of the second week of every month. Find the full list of reports at ushbc.org/nielsen-reports.
New Resources for National Pancake Day and the Holiday Season!
September 26 is National Pancake Day, and to celebrate, USHBC created a GIF that can be used to commemorate this holiday in consumer promotions on social media. It’s just one of the latest moments on our promotional calendar that’s inspiring consumers to grab a boost of blue.
To access assets like this – and take a look at what else is coming up – visit our Grab of Boost of Blue Industry Resources page.
And, in case you missed it, last week USHBC released the Fall & Winter Holidays Toolkit for industry stakeholders. This new dynamic content, packed with digital advertising, social media graphics with suggested copy, recipes and more, will help the industry capitalize on this festive season to drive consumer interest and increase sales for blueberries from Halloween all the way to New Year’s.
Don’t forget to check out other industry resources to encourage consumers to Grab a Boost of Blue at ushbc.org/boostofblue.
Virtual Registration for the 2021 Fall Event is Still Open
While in-person attendance is at capacity, virtual registration is still available for Innovate 2021: USHBC+NABC Tech Symposium and Fall Meetings! You won’t want to miss the opportunity to strengthen relationships, explore the latest technologies, and discover knowledge and practices you can start implementing in your own operations. Register today at blueberryevents.org to take advantage of early-bird pricing, which ends Sept. 15.
To ensure the health and safety of everyone involved in this event, attendees traveling to Salem, Oregon, to attend in person will be asked to complete a brief COVID-19 questionnaire prior to arrival. For more information about how USHBC and NABC will be keeping attendees safe, please visit our Health & Safety page on the symposium website.