Topics in this issue of Behind the Blue:
- Applications for the Blueberry Industry Leadership Program Are Now Open!
- Thank You For Attending Spring Forward!
- Submit Your Blueberry Pie Tips for Our Consumer Newsletter!
In case you missed it, last week USHBC announced the industry’s first Blueberry Industry Leadership Program! Don’t miss your chance to join the inaugural class of the program, which will bring together rising professionals from across the blueberry supply chain. Watch the special message from USHBC Vice President of Engagement and Education Amanda Griffin to learn more about this unique opportunity for up-and-coming leaders in the industry, and apply by April 11.
The Blueberry Industry Leadership Program will span one year and take an interactive approach through hands-on training, learning experiences, engagement with key industry players and exposure to the many components of the produce supply chain.
Read more about the program in our press release and download a free flyer to share with anyone you think would be a good fit! If you have questions, reach out to Griffin at [email protected], cc: [email protected].
That’s a wrap on Spring Forward! Thank you to everyone who attended, whether you joined us in Tampa or online, for an inspiring week jam-packed with informative and insightful presentations. Here are just a few of the featured topics and speakers
- A Conversation With B2B Targets – Moderated by Amy Shipley, managing director and partner of SRG, this panel featuring Adam Croissant, director of R&D at Chobani and Shane Schaibly, corporate chef at First Watch, highlighted current issues facing blueberry industry target audiences and how the industry can support these audiences in continuing to drive volume through foodservice and food manufacturing.
- 2022 Foodservice Innovation: A First Taste – Christie Woods, group account director of Sterling-Rice Group (SRG), and Chef Rosalyn Darling, SRG associate culinary director, took attendees behind the scenes of USHBC’s foodservice innovation process. Chef Rosalyn conducted a live culinary demonstration while serving a lunch that featured a few of USHBC’s latest blueberry culinary innovations for 2022.
- Flavor Time – Moderated by Grant Prentice, senior vice president of strategic insights at FoodMinds, this panel featured Gonzalo de Elizalde, blueberry product leadership senior director at Driscoll’s, alongside Patricio R. Munoz from the University of Florida horticultural science department’s blueberry breeding and genomics lab to discuss how the industry is driving future consumption through flavor innovation.
- Farm Tours – Conference attendees embarked on a blueberry journey around Tampa, visiting Astin Farms, Wish Farms and Frogmore Fresh.
- Ken Patterson Hall of Fame Fishing Tournament – Attendees had a blast competing in this sold-out event hosted by Ken Patterson that took place on the Tampa Bay.
- Committee meetings – Our productive committee meetings were an opportunity to learn about what’s on the horizon for the rest of the year across programs and channels as we start to work against our 2021-2025 strategic plan.
Stay tuned to hear when session recordings will be available so you can view what you missed or rewatch your favorite sessions. To be among the first to know, make sure you’re registered at blueberryevents.org.
In celebration of Blueberry Pie Day on April 28 and the start of peak season in North America, USHBC will be distributing a promotional email to thousands of blueberry lovers across the country. We want YOUR favorite blueberry pie recipe tips for this special edition of our consumer newsletter.
You may recall we sent out a similar consumer newsletter issue last year featuring some great recipes that many of you submitted! It ended up being one of the top-performing issues of the entire year, with a click rate topping 4.4%. Our readers clearly love tips and ideas that come straight from those who know blueberries the best – you, our growers and stakeholders. Our consumer promotions team is planning to deliver even more grower-focused content this year, so we hope you’ll stay involved.
To participate, please fill out this simple form on the USHBC website by March 25 for the chance to be featured in our April email to consumers