Last week in Tri-Cities, Washington, the USHBC Board of Directors approved the industry’s largest export promotion budget to date, highlighting the organization’s commitment to expanding the global market for U.S. highbush blueberries. Increasing exports of fresh, frozen and further processed blueberries is a primary goal of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s (USHBC) strategic plan, and…

Blueberries have been no stranger to breakfast and dessert menus for many years, and chefs recognize seasonal consumer demand with summertime offerings. But USHBC has seen opportunity for growth in promoting blueberries of all forms as a year-round staple that can entice consumers across the menu: in salads, dressings, entrees, cocktails and more. In fact,…

USHBC has launched media campaigns and events throughout Asia, promoting awareness of U.S. blueberry availability, their health benefits and versatility. These activities were made possible by the Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) Program, which was established by the Trump Administration to assist farmers in response to trade damage from unjustified retaliation and trade disruption from other…

It’s no secret that social media has become a critical tool to connect with today’s consumer. USHBC is consistently evolving our social media promotions to make sure we’re reaching potential customers searching for recipes or health information online. This goes above-and-beyond USHBC’s own social media channels – we have a full bench of influencers and…

Throughout history, certain natural plant substances have been associated with beauty (smooth skin, shiny hair, strong nails). Asian food and beverage manufacturers blend ingredients such as collagen, lutein, antioxidants and other ingredients into foods to associate products with beauty. These include topicals and edible foods with beauty ingredient associations. Beauty yogurt from Vietnam (above) combines…

In 2018, USHBC began the journey of taking blueberries to the next level with an awareness-building advertising campaign. Its goal was, and continues to be, elevating blueberries to a status beyond that which we have already established. The “Positively Bluetiful” campaign created a strong foundation for making blueberries part of the daily lives of moderate…

Executive Director Mark Villata set to retire at the end of 2019 FOLSOM, Calif. – June 18, 2019 – The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) and U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) have named Kasey Cronquist as the new president, effective July 29, 2019. The Council’s current executive director, Mark Villata, is set to retire at the…

New Research Examines Blueberries’ Effect on Cardiometabolic Health In Adults With Metabolic Syndrome A large, long-term human study, funded by the USHBC, has published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a well-known and widely recognized peer-reviewed journal in the field of clinical nutrition. The research study found that participants with metabolic syndrome who consumed…

From March 23-31, 2019, USHBC Export Program Manager Alicia Adler traveled to South Korea and Malaysia to meet with importers, retailers and foodservice operators ahead of the season. In South Korea, Ms. Adler joined USHBC in-country representatives, Mr. Ken Yang and Ms. Hyewon Shin of Korea Business Services Inc., in hosting a trade seminar for…

USHBC Shares Latest Blueberry Health Benefit Findings with Japanese Media Group From May 5-8, 2019, USHBC hosted five Japanese health journalists at the Berry Health Benefits Symposium in Portland, Oregon. A special “Blueberry Day” was held the day before the Symposium began, where the journalists were able to learn about the latest health research findings…