USHBC Promotes Fresh Blueberries in Kanto (Tokyo)

USHBS launched fresh promotions in the Seiuy-Walmart and Maruetsu chain in the Kanto area.(Tokyo)    The promotions will run throughout the month and are creating a lot of excitement in the marketplace!  

Ichigawa Sugano

Kasai Clean Town

Mushashi Kousugi

Nagatsuta

Fresh Blueberry Promotions at Japanese High-End Grocery

Seijoishii grocery chain is one of the finest chains in Japan.  They are located in the best areas of Tokyo, Yokahama and urban areas.   The chain normally does not do fresh a lot of promotions, but jumped at the opportunity to launch the health and beauty campaign for fresh blueberries!  A sign of the success:  The chain added more days!   Once Seijoishii bought off on promotions others fell into place!

New Retail Poster is a hit!

Demonstrators at work at SeijoStore.

Todoroki Store Display

Very professional demonstrators.

Yokohama Landmark Store

Fitness and Beauty Publicity From Korea Photo Event

Each year USHBC conducts a photo event where models staff a fresh blueberry promotion.  This year the event was held at the headquarters of a leading retailer in South Korea.  
As always the results are in and the event produced dozens of articles in newspapers and electronic media concerning health and beauty!  Here are just a few!

India Sampling Program Shows Results!

In the 1890s, Sailing ships from New England delivered cut ice from the lakes of the region -- to Calcutta India.  It was a big event and although 2/3 of the specially insulated cargo melted -- some made it.   It was Gin and Tonic time in old Calcutta as well as ice cream and chilled Lassi!

Now a century later, the first ocean containers of US frozen blueberries have arrived in India and are used to help local companies with new product development.

Thanks to the USDA-FAS Quality Samples Program (QSP), the USHBC was able to fund the purchase of two 40-foot ocean containers of frozen blueberries.   These berries made the round the world trip landing in the port o Shiva in Mumbai.   From there a local importer worked with the USHBC rep to further ship cases of blueberries to pre-screened and motivated local companies.   These included bakeries, dairy, filling and jam and jelly companies.   Our research showed that there were more than 2,500 preserve companies in India and none using real blueberries.  At the same time extremely expensive items were imported Europe.

USHBC has been promoting fresh and dried blueberries since 2008 and we have always had interest from frozen companies -- but then they ask for samples for testing and things get complicated.

Getting the blueberries to India was the hard part, now we are busy in the field saving the day with samples.    Typically a company will use a case to familiarize with staff and do a few tests.   Then they get further into the development and we provide larger samples and some need multi-cases for trial runs in factories!

The investment is paying off:

New Product development is on the rise in India and some of the companies who have succeeded in their product development are now importing frozen blueberries directly from the USA and wholesalers and distributors are carrying frozen blueberries.   Our sampling job is almost done!

Here are just a few really great frozen items produced in India!

Prior to the sampling program almost no products in India utilized frozen blueberries.  Here are just a few products that have been made in India since the start of the Quality Sampling Program!

The Early Enabler!   Now they are looking to use the Blueberry Real Seal!

One small step!   This consumer packed jam product uses around 50 percent frozen blueberry.  Now other companies are following the lead!  

We see a big re-packing trade developing.

Blueberry Sauce: Note the "Real Bleberry" label.

Bakery Item

Beverage: Blueberry Crush

Blueberry Bar:

Large Bakery!

Dairy

Cosmetics

Blue-Me Mascot Superhero Hit in Korean Retail Promotions

Koreans love mascots!  And our lovable Blue-Me is everywhere this month with store appearances, photo opportunities with customers and just a lot of fun!  Store managers are reporting that sales go up when Blue-Me arrives and they appreciate the excitement and enthusiasm!

August is Blueberry Month -- In Canada!

When I first started working with the North American Blueberry Council (NABC) more than two decades ago, I was told that July was National Blueberry Month in the USA.   Our North American blueberry partners in British Columbia had their Blueberry Month proclaimed in August which is (normally) the peak of their season!
Well:   Just want to take this opportunity to salute our growers to the North!

Canadian  Comfort Food!   Tim Horton includes blueberries in muffins, Danish and all sorts of new items!    My favorite the blueberry donut!

We have a great team in our efforts to build the market for highbush blueberries!

Canada Highbush Production Areas (General)  British Columbia and Ontario.  

New blueberry-containing products are continually introduced in Canada!  Some very interesting products.

Just a few examples of interesting Canadian products this year!  Some of the major new categories such as pet foods all started with Canadian innovation!

It's tea time!

Superfruits are a big big deal in Canada!

Candy is a huge business in Canada and USA.   Some of the most innovative blueberry-containing candies originated in Canada.