Blueberries
This is how blueberry prices are bumping up and dipping down at retail, according to data from Agtools.
With expectations of a “fantastic” crop, Naturipe Farms is expecting a peak supply of Michigan blueberries from mid-July through mid-August.
With imports now accounting for nearly 60% of total blueberry supplies, blueberry consumption has seen big gains in recent years.
Representatives in Washington D.C., enjoyed blueberries during the first National Blueberry Month this July, whether through tasting berry-laden treats or advocating for agriculture policy.
Efforts are underway to ensure that Chilean-grown blueberries meet the same quality standards as U.S. blueberries, industry sources say.
Naturipe says retailers can take advantage of peak volumes during its FeBLUEary promotional campaign.
Pink Cosmo and Hunkaberry will be available for retailers and foodservice customers in limited supplies this month.
U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council and Major League Pickleball have teamed to increase blueberry consumption among the fast-growing pickleball fan base.
The company said its regeneratively grown berries will be in select Whole Foods, Sprouts, Bi-Rite, NewLeaf, Berkeley Bowl Marketplace and Oliver’s locations.
North Carolina’s berry season is anticipated to bridge the gap between growing seasons in Mexico and the Pacific Northwest, with blueberries starting in late April.
Canada-based sustainable packaging supplier CKF Inc. is partnering with Belmark Inc. to support a Canadian retail trial with blueberries supplied by The Fruitist.
“What can’t berries do?” says Mike Mauti, managing partner with Canada-based Execulytics Consulting. Industry experts recently offered reasons for berries’ sales growth and sustained consumer appeal.
Average fob berry prices in the U.S. declined for strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in 2022, while the average fob for blackberries climbed.
The Traverse City, Mich.-based marketer will have a robust spring and summer berry deal with good volumes and availability, says Ryan Lockman, vice president of sales and procurement.
Naturipe will have plentiful berry supplies this summer, says Jim Roberts, president of sales for the Naples, Fla.-based marketer of both conventional and organic fruit.
California Giant Berry Farms is anticipating promotable yields of blueberries out of Oregon, British Columbia and Washington state in July and August.
Naturipe Farms is kicking off the summer season with promotable volumes of its blueberries from New Jersey, Michigan, and the Pacific Northwest, according to a news release.
Selma, Calif.-based Farm to Table Berries is integrating blueberry breeding into the company’s blueberry marketing efforts.
The observations come from a USDA Economic Research Service report examining changes in domestic production, consumption, prices and trade for strawberries and blueberries over two decades.
The Chilean Blueberry Committee, together with iQonsulting, has updated its export estimate for the 2023-2024 season, forecasting exports of 76,500 tons of fresh blueberries.
Naturipe Farms expects to have volumes of its Michigan blueberries from late June through September, says Brian Bocock, vice president of product management.
The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2024 data shows 54% of surveyed consumers reported purchasing blueberries in the past 12 months, up from both the 2023 and 2022 surveys.
Twenty percent of the fruit marketed by Domex Superfresh Growers is organic, and that percentage is on the way to 25%, says Cat Gipe-Stewart, director of marketing for the Yakima, Wash.-based marketer.
Organic blueberry sales and volume were both up in 2022, according to retail numbers from Circana.
Sekoya is an in-demand variety platform that retailers ask for by name, having earned a reputation for excellence thanks to its consistently high-quality blueberries, says the family-owned greenhouse business.
Peruvian blueberry exports in the 2023-24 marketing year (May 2023 to April 2024) will be down more than 40%, the USDA reports.
Mexico’s blueberry production in 2024 is forecast to rise 8% over 2023, according to a new USDA report.
The company said its South American imports will begin for East Coast customers.
U.S. imports of Chilean blueberries totaled 45,982 metric tons in 2022, up from 42,458 metric tons in 2021 and up from 42,608 metric tons in 2020.
Cort Brazelton will serve as acting president as CEO while the blueberry breeding and nursery company searches for a new CEO.