How U.S. Blueberries Will Use $500K in Funding to Expand Global Export Markets

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s director of global business development shares how the council will use a data-driven approach to guide allocations of $513,948 in federal funding to expand export opportunities in key markets around the world.

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council was recently awarded $513,948 from USDA’s Market Access Program to expand export opportunities for U.S. blueberries.

The MAP and Foreign Market Development programs are long-standing cost-share partnerships that help producers build and maintain a competitive presence in the global marketplace, says USHBC, adding that MAP funding is invaluable to the blueberry industry.

The USHBC’s international market development program seeks to expand global demand for U.S. blueberries through targeted trade and consumer initiatives. Its priority markets for expansion include South Korea, Japan, India, Mexico, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

To learn more about the impact of federal funding on driving consumption of U.S. blueberries around the world, as well as the USHBC’s vision for global success, The Packer connected with Haiying Zhang, USHBC director of global business development.

The Packer: How will the USHBC prioritize allocation of the $513,948 in funds across its seven priority markets of South Korea, Japan, India, Mexico, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines?

Zhang: The blueberry industry created the USHBC 25 years ago to grow the entire category. We exist to give consumers worldwide more reasons to buy more blueberries, and this MAP funding is a critical tool to equip our industry to expand global demand.

We use a data-driven approach to guide our allocations, ensuring we capitalize on the specific maturity and growth potential of each market. These funds will be surgically deployed across Asia and Mexico to drive preference for U.S. blueberries through several key channels. This includes conducting targeted retail promotions and shopper marketing to ensure U.S. blueberries are front of mind at the point of purchase and inspiring food manufacturers and chefs to use blueberries as a hero ingredient in new applications. We’re also strengthening our presence and connection with key trade partners through trade missions and shows.

It’s important to note that the USHBC made an intentional, strategic pivot to secure more government funding on behalf of the industry. MAP is just one piece of our broader success. Last year alone, we successfully executed more than $963,000 in USDA grants. By intentionally pursuing these resources, we’re amplifying our impact and creating new windows of opportunity for U.S. growers to remain profitable and successful in a competitive global landscape.

How will USHBC measure the success of this round of funding?

We exist to give consumers more reasons to buy more blueberries, and we ensure every dollar is deployed efficiently by measuring results against a consistent global marketing strategy. Because our marketing efforts are multifaceted, our measurement systems need to be equally robust to ensure we’re equipping the industry for success.

This includes:

• Retail promotions — We track sales results and ROI to ensure we’re effectively moving volume in our priority markets.
• PR and advertising — We monitor our public relations and advertising campaigns by tracking impressions, reach, engagements, the value of both paid and earned media placements, and consumer surveys.
• Trade engagement — At trade shows, we track and qualify specific leads to ensure they convert into long-term opportunities for U.S. exporters.
• Industry and foodservice — We survey training and seminar participants from the foodservice and manufacturing sectors to measure their direct intent to use U.S. blueberries.

We don’t just collect this data; we analyze the results and adjust our approach to maximize effectiveness and efficacy. This allows us to prove the value of our programs as we work to expand global demand and create a measurable path to success for the entire industry.

The USHBC’s priority markets include those that are established and others that are emerging. How does the marketing strategy differ for a mature market versus a developing one?

We exist to expand global demand and create long-term opportunities for the U.S. blueberry industry. While our goal of driving top-of-mind preference is consistent, we use data to customize our execution based on the specific stage and needs of each market.

In established regions like Japan and South Korea, our strategy focuses on innovation and reinforcement. We give consumers and trade partners more reasons to buy by introducing new usage occasions, highlighting the superior quality of the U.S. product, and reinforcing the premium health and nutritional benefits that set our berries apart.

In emerging regions like India and Southeast Asia, we emphasize education regarding the value, versatility and health benefits of U.S. blueberries, along with market development, by forging strategic connections with the trade.

Ultimately, by adjusting our tactics to meet the unique requirements of each market stage, we effectively empower the industry for success and ensure the U.S. origin remains the global preference.

How will the MAP funding be used to differentiate U.S. blueberries from blueberries grown in other countries? Will the “Go Big” campaign translate to foreign markets, or will you develop campaigns specifically targeted to each of your priority markets?

We’re using this MAP funding to differentiate U.S. blueberries by elevating the “U.S. origin” from a commodity to a premium brand. As global competition increases, these resources allow us to highlight our competitive advantages: rigorous food safety standards, superior fruit quality and a health profile backed by world-class U.S. research.

By leveraging this support, we’re driving consumer awareness and stimulating demand through targeted marketing campaigns, such as the Blueberries Go Big campaign.

In our export markets, the Go Big campaign is translated in spirit as “Better Snack, Better Health, Better Life.” Our execution features a two-stage process to ensure the message resonates authentically with every consumer:

• Stage 1 — We use high-quality voice-overs, subtitles and direct translations of our core creative content. This allows us to establish a consistent global brand presence across all touchpoints immediately and efficiently.
• Stage 2 — Our next phase involves using MAP funds to generate entirely new, culturally relevant creative content in key markets. This includes developing custom visuals and lifestyle content that reflect the specific cultural nuances and local consumption habits of our priority markets, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Southeast Asia.

Ultimately, while Go Big is our global mindset, our local execution is designed to meet consumers exactly where they are.

Source: The Packer