Andrea Somerville, Author at South American Blueberry Convention

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Andrea Somerville

Global blueberry industry gears up for South American Blueberry Convention

The inaugural event to be held in-person in Chile on April 21, 2022, will bring together members of the global blueberry industry, with a focus on Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay.

The first-ever edition of the South American Blueberry Convention is approaching, and tickets are selling fast.

Organized by Yentzen Group in collaboration with the national associations of Chile, Peru, Argentina and Uruguay, the event will bring together the global blueberry industry on April 21, 2022, at the Sun Monticello, located just south of the Chilean capital.

Supported by the International Blueberry Organization (IBO), the South American Blueberry Convention be a unique opportunity to gather, learn and share information about the challenges and opportunities that affect this major export region.

Topics to be addressed include an outlook of the 2022-23 season, blueberry market trends, export opportunities for the four focus countries, market forecasts, and innovation. Participants will also enjoy excellent networking opportunities.

Tickets, booths and sponsorship opportunities are currently available.

Alejandro Pannunzio, President of the Argentinean Blueberry Committee (ABC), said: “We consider an event such as the South American Blueberry Convention to be very important, since it brings together growers from a group of countries with common interests in the production and marketing of blueberries. Understanding the needs, requirements and expectations of current and future consumers is central to maintaining consumption growth rates and preferences for our fruit, providing certainty as to our productive, environmental and social sustainability.”

Luis Miguel Vagas, General Manager of the Peruvian Blueberry Growers & Exporter Association (Proarándanos), said: “We will be participating for several reasons, among which I highlight our commitment to the continued strengthening of the South American blueberry ecosystem, the construction of a common agenda among the different origins, the mapping of the latest trends and the identification of opportunities for the long-term sustainability of the blueberry industry.”

Marta Bentancur, of Uruguay’s Fruit Producers and Exporters Union (UPEFRUY), said: “We are going through substantive changes in the entire fresh fruit industry, and blueberries in particular are seeing a changing scenario. Learning and sharing knowledge will be an opportunity to face the challenges of the industry, and we recognize the effort of the organizers to add value for our partners.”

Gustavo Yentzen, President of Yentzen Group, said: “This event is key for the blueberry industry in Chile, Peru, Argentina and Uruguay because today the performance of each country is affected by the same external variables. The destinies of each country depend more than ever on how the region performs. It is time to look at the performance of each international market and project future growth based on South American growth.”

Peter McPherson, President of the IBO, said: “The IBO is pleased to support the South American Blueberry Convention, which will help to advance the industry in this highly important export region. By working together and sharing knowledge, we can overcome common challenges and boost blueberry consumption worldwide.”

For more information, please visit www.blueberryconvention.com/ or contact Natalia Castillo at ncastillo@yentzengroup.com.

Source: www.freshfruitportal.com

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Andrea Somerville

Peru ranked as main blueberry supplier to U.S. in 2021

Peru was the main blueberry supplier to the U.S. in 2021 with a 34% market share, which was 3% more than the previous year, according to agraria.pe.

The U.S. received over 310,000MT of blueberries from different countries in 2021 for US$1.9 billion, representing an increase of 14% in volume and 22% in value, compared to 2020.

Peruvian blueberry shipments to the U.S. market reached over 105,000MT with a value of $659 million, showing a growth of 25% in volume and 20% in value compared to 2020.

This progress is due to the fact that the North American blueberry cultivation did not reach pre-pandemic levels and was unable to supply market demand.

The second country with the largest number of shipments was Canada with a 26% share, showing 2% less year-on-year; followed by Mexico with a 21% market share reporting 3% less year-on-year.

During 2021, the North American market managed an average price of US$5.39 per kilogram, which represented a 7% increase compared to 2020.

The Mexican blueberry was up 15% as the best quoted, with a value of $8.11 per kilogram.

In second place was the Peruvian, with an average price of $6.27 per kilogram, down 5%. Canada followed with a value of $1.89 per kilogram, showing an increase of 13% year-on-year.

It should be noted that the Peruvian companies with the highest blueberry export levels were Hortifrut Perú SAC, with 18% participation, and Camposol SA, with 17%.

Source: FreshFruitPortal.com

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Andrea Somerville

U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council launches Alexa skill for consumers

Consumers looking for their daily boost of blue have a new source of blueberry information: Alexa.

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) has launched A Blueberry Boost, a new skill for Alexa, Amazon’s voice-activated artificial intelligence (AI) service.

A Blueberry Boost allows consumers to ask Alexa any questions they have about blueberries, whether they’re shopping, meal planning, baking, cooking or hosting an event. In response, Alexa provides USHBC recipes, tips, kitchen hacks and more – often directing right to blueberry.org for more information.

To download the skill from a smartphone, users can open the Alexa app, tap the menu icon in the screen’s upper left corner, and then tap “Skills & Games.” On the Skills & Games screen, they can tap on the magnifying glass on top to bring up the search field, and type in the phrase “A Blueberry Boost.” Or, users can simply say to their Alexa device: “Alexa, add the skill: A Blueberry Boost.”

Once enabled on an Echo device, to use the Alexa skill, consumers will need to state the name of the skill, A Blueberry Boost, each time they ask a question, i.e., “Alexa, ask A Blueberry Boost for a recipe kids will like.” There are many different topics integrated into the skill, ranging from storage and shopping tips to flavor pairings and nutrition information.

“We see the implementation of our first Alexa skill as an opportunity to break through the clutter and connect with key audiences,” added Sparks. “Most importantly, as an industry we can gain additional insights on consumer behavior to drive demand.” To learn more about the new skill, visit A Blueberry Boost’s page on the Amazon store. For more information about the USHBC, visit ushbc.blueberry.org.