Frequently asked questions

BerrySmart Insights is a state-of-the-art platform supported by blueberry industry growers and marketers. It provides real-time, aggregated, and anonymized data on blueberry production, sales, and pricing in the United States.

1. Real-Time Data Access

• Access up-to-date benchmarks of the fresh blueberry market.
• Data is continuously updated to reflect the latest market conditions.

2. Anonymized and Aggregated Data

• The data provided by contributing growers and marketers is anonymized and aggregated.
• Ensures privacy while providing valuable insights.

3. Performance Comparison

• Compare your business performance against industry benchmarks.
• Identify areas for improvement and opportunities for growth.

4. Informed Decision-Making

• Use the insights from BerrySmart to inform your marketing and pricing strategies.
• Make data-driven decisions to enhance profitability.

The United States Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) Retail Sales Report provides valuable insights into blueberry retail trends based on SPINs data, backed by Circana. This article will guide you through accessing and understanding these reports, which are released periodically throughout the year.

Accessing the Retail Sales Report

1. Visit the USHBC Data Page

• Navigate to the USHBC data page.
• Scroll down to find the "SPINs Blueberries Retail Sales Report" link.

2. Downloading the Latest Report

• Click on the link to download the latest report.
• The report will download as a PDF file, which you can open with any PDF viewer (e.g., Adobe Acrobat Reader)

The USHBC Retail Sales Report provides a comprehensive overview of blueberry sales across various regions and categories. Here’s how to understand the key sections:

1. Summary Page

• The first page provides a summary of key insights identified throughout the report.
• It includes data on fresh blueberries in the produce department and frozen blueberries.

2. Sales by Geography

• Sales data is split into four regions: West, North Central, South, and Northeast.
• Each region’s data includes total dollars, dollar share of the market, dollar percent change from the previous year, total units, unit share, unit percent change, total pounds, pound share, and pound percent change.

3. Fresh vs. Frozen Sales

• This section breaks down sales data into fresh and frozen categories.
• Similar measures are provided, including dollar and unit changes year-over-year.

4. Sales by Segment

• The report differentiates between conventional and organic blueberries.
• Sales are further broken down by size, highlighting leading sizes such as 18-ounce and 16-ounce packages.

5. Berry Patch Analysis

• This section includes a detailed breakdown of various berries, including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and mixed berries.
• Data is provided for both fresh and frozen categories, further split into conventional and organic.
• The berry patch analysis shows the performance of each berry type by dollars and pounds, and includes comparisons year-over-year.

6. Price Per Pound Analysis

• This analysis shows the retail price per pound for blueberries over a 52-week period.
• It provides the lowest and highest prices recorded, as well as trends in retail dollars and volume in pounds.

7. MULO (Multi Outlet Universe) Breakdown

• The final section explains what constitutes the MULO, which includes multi-outlet and convenience stores.
• It also mentions the upcoming inclusion of natural channels in the analysis.

The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) Cold Storage Report provides vital insights into blueberry storage trends. This article will guide you through accessing and interpreting these reports.

Accessing the Cold Storage Reports

1. Visit the NABC Data Website

• Navigate to nabc.blueberry.org/data
• You will be directed to the data landing page.

2. Viewing the Cold Storage Reports

• Click on the "View Cold Storage Reports" tab.
• The latest report available will be displayed. 

3. Downloading the Report

• Click on the report link to download the PDF file.
• The PDF will open in your default PDF viewer (e.g., Adobe Acrobat Reader).

The report is structured to provide both a summary and detailed insights into blueberry cold storage trends. Here’s how to understand the key sections:

1. Summary Report

• The first page provides a summary of key insights from the cold storage data.
• This includes comparisons to previous periods and year-over-year percentages.

2. Detailed Analysis

• The report delves into monthly comparisons, showing data for the current month, the previous month, and month-by-month movements.
• For instance, it may show an increase of 89 million pounds from August to September and a decrease of 20 million pounds from October to January.

3. Regional Breakdown

• Data is broken down by region: East, North Central, South Central, and Pacific.
• A legend at the top helps interpret the data for each region.
• The report highlights trends and percentage changes for each region. For example, the Pacific region might make up 70.54% of the total storage, with trends staying consistent or varying slightly each month.

4. Year-over-Year Comparison

• This section compares the current month of the current year with the same month of the previous year.
• For example, August 2023 might show 335 million pounds in storage compared to 271 million pounds in August 2022, indicating an overall trend.

5. Monthly Movement by Region

• This section provides a detailed month-to-month breakdown for each region.
• It helps identify trends and movements within specific regions, offering a more granular view than in previous reports.

The NABC Cold Storage Report is an invaluable resource for understanding trends in blueberry storage across North America. By following this guide, you can easily access and interpret the report, gaining insights that can help in your analysis and decision-making processes.