The Flavor Experience

In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jennifer Sparks, USHBC/NABC vice president of marketing and communications, and Christie Wood, group account director at the Sterling-Rice Group. Cronquist brings Sparks and Wood on to discuss the recent Flavor Experience conference held in Monterey, California, in early September and how it relates to USHBC’s foodservice programs. 

Click here to read the recent USHBC Patron Study. 

“The [foodservice] industry is recovering much faster than expected, which is great news for all of us. And, some of those alternative [foodservice] formats that were created over the last year-and-a half are probably here to stay.” – Christie Wood

Topics covered include:

  • Sparks and Cronquist’s reflections on their first visit to the experience. 
  • The importance of having face-to-face conversations in conference settings. 
  • The state of the foodservice industry and how the pandemic changed relationships with restaurants. 
  • The reactions to USHBC recipe development from Flavor Experience attendees.