November 2018 New Product of the Month!

Kroger has re-branded its Greek Yogurt!  Look at that big beautiful blueberry!

Now, this is unique -- you cannot miss this one in the dairy case.

Blueberries are the first ingredient after milk!

Vietnam USA Product Showcase

USA Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink visits the USA pavilion of the Food & Hotel Exposition held November 27-30, 2018.  He spent time visiting with Team Blueberry and was well versed in the great progress that USHBC has made in Vietnam in the past year.  

Thank you to the US Embassy in Hanoi and the ongoing support from the USDA-FAS and APHIS staff in Vietnam!   They are always looking out for blueberries.  The excitement continues.

Welcome to the USA Foods Showcase sponsored by the US Embassy Hanoi at the Melia Hotel, Hanoi, November 28, 2018.

Hana samples  mini blueberry cakes from a popular Hanoi bakery!  We also passed out dried and frozen blueberries which were a big hit!

Food & Hotel Hanoi

Welcome to Food & Hotel Hanoi. This is the first major food expositon held in the Capitol City of Hanoi and it is a big deal.

Opening day at the Food & Hotel Hanoi Exposition which will run November 28-30, 2018.   As you can see from the photos -- frozen blueberries from the USA are a big hit!  Our mighty FoodTech Hana is working the booth and blueberries were the buzz!

Opening Ceremony!

American Instiute of Baking Seminar

Chef Shorya Kapoor -- yes the son of the ever-popular Raj Kapoor in New Delhi India presented a seminar on highbush blueberries to fellow attendees of the Baking Technology Course at the campus in Manhattan, Kansas.

Bakery professionals from throughout the world attend the 16-week course.   Attendees included staff from some of the leading bakeries in the world including Bimbo (Mexico) , Yamazaki (Japan)  and Uni-President (Taiwan).

Shorya gave a introductory presentation on highbush blueberries and a laboratory on the optimal use of frozen blueberries in commercial muffin formulas.

Attendees were especially interested in dried blueberries, powders and other ingredient solutions!

Great job Shorya!

Incredible India Seminar

USHBC hosted an all-day seminar for importers, distributors and end users of highbush blueberries in Mumbai, India November 20, 2018.  We anticipated 40 and 86 professionals took time from their busy schedules to attend!  It was a special honor for USHBC to salute some of the pioneering companies who Nutraj, Tajir, Orchard, Delta,  IG and Anusaya among others who have worked side by side with USHBC for the past decade.

The event, coordinated by Raj Kapoor, our India FoodTech, consisted of five parts.

1. Blueberry Education.  Tom Payne gave an overview of blueberries and blueberry ingredient solutions.
2. A Panel discussion by importers, distributors on the market situation and strategies for moving forward.  (including  a strategy for India stakeholders to work on duty reduction with their government).
3. A chef demo that showed the use of frozen blueberries and the economics of adding this value added ingredient.
4. A salute to India by Tom Payne for rising from $0 to $1 million I imports in 2018, and marketing strategies for moving forward!
5. A panel discussion by some of India's top celebrity chefs with impressions and advice on increasing blueberry use in the food industry and food service categories.

At the end of the day, we announced that this will become a yearly event and will include a New product award.  Companies pledged to give full support to our marketing efforts -- with special emphasis on use of the Real Seal in qualified products.

Thank you India!

China Fruit Veg!

China FV is the big event for fresh fruit imports for China!

Each year the Chinese government agency (AQSIQ) hosts the Fruit & Vegetable Fair in Beijing.  USHBC exhibits to show commitment to the opening of the China market for fresh blueberries! It is held in the old "Russian built" exposition center in the middle of Beijing.

Here is a video taken the morning before the show opened!  

Julia works the crowd!

Durian everywhere!

Our neighbor booth: "Mr. Fuji!

I love this poster!

The key to market access...Jujube!