Research and Insights

We believe that data-driven decisions are the ingredients for long-term success. Below is a collection of research that demonstrates how blueberries can help support the evolving needs of foodservice operators and food manufacturers.

Choose a report

PATRON DEMAND STUDY

The best way to understand what foodservice patrons want to see on menus is to ask them. So, we did! We surveyed 1000+ consumers to get a better understanding of how they want to see blueberries menued across all types of restaurants.

From sweet to savory and breakfast to dinner (and everything in between), we got the scoop on exactly what patrons want.

We’ve compiled the findings into one-sheeters (both overall findings and separated by restaurant type) for easy review, and have made the full study available for download as well.

73%

of patrons believe blueberries make a dish more appealing¹

64%

believe blueberries make a dish taste better²

70%

indicate a willingness to pay more for dishes that include blueberries³

72%

say blueberries make a dish healthier⁴

59%

wish there were more exciting and adventurous applications for blueberries⁵

2020 Global Opportunity Assessment

For food manufacturers looking to give their products a boost of blue, USHBC has uncovered insights on some of the strongest opportunities ahead.

Our 2020 Global Opportunity Assessment sought to better understand which product categories and markets are driving blueberries’ impressive global growth – and what makes a blueberry product successful. Here’s what we found²:

The Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific are emerging key markets where blueberries are gaining notable popularity among consumers due to their strong blueberry product growth over the last five years.
Successful brands are celebrating blueberries on labels to tap into growing consumer trends: plant-based foods, clean labels, real ingredients and performance claims.
Visuals of REAL blueberries on packaging with messaging around their associated health benefits may help drive sales.

Download Research Summary

Blueberry Market on the Rise

Get to know the blueberry industry from the inside out. The 2020 USHBC Blueberry Market Situation dives deep into the state of the industry and current blueberry production and highlights increasing consumption and demand in products.

U.S. blueberry consumption continues to increase. From 2000-02 to 2017-19, U.S. fresh blueberry consumption grew over 510%.³ 
In 2019, per capita use of fresh blueberries reached 2.33 pounds (1,056.87 g.) and frozen per capita consumption was 0.32 pounds (145.15 g.), totaling 2.65 pounds (1,202.02 g.).⁴ 
In a recent survey, 80% of manufacturers agreed adding blueberries to their products provides consumers with perceived or additional health benefits. Plus, blueberries’ color and flavor add to their popularity, with a majority of manufacturers surveyed citing that blueberries provided added value to their customers.⁵

Blueberries are an ingredient and flavor consumers recognize and demand.

Blueberries are the fruit most frequently ranked in consumers’ top 3 favorites (topping strawberries and bananas).⁶

60%

of consumers believe blueberries have superior health benefits to other fruits.⁷

93%

of consumers consider blueberries a health food.⁸

83%

of consumers consider blueberries a better source of antioxidants compared to other fruits.⁹

65%

of consumers perceive items with blueberries as healthier or better for them than those without.¹⁰

^1-2,11 Padilla, USHBC Global Opportunity Assessment, December 2020
³USDA, Fruit and Tree Nuts Outlook, September 2020
⁴ Fruit Yearbook Supply and Utilization Tables (Tables G-5; G-38), 2020
⁵ Rose Research, Blueberries in Food Manufacturing, August 2019
⁶ Blueberry Customer Segmentation, Topline U&A Study W ave 2 (Page 15), January-February 2020
^7-9Blueberry Customer Driven Segmentation Study (Pages 17, 19, 20), April 2019
¹⁰ U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, Consumer U&A Study, 2017
¹² USDA, Database for the Flavonoid Content of Selected Foods (Release 3.1), 2014

Research and Insights

PATRON DEMAND STUDY

Topline Results

Fast Food/Fast Casual

Casual

Polished Casual/Fine Dining

2020 Global Opportunity Assessment

Blueberry Market on the Rise

Blueberries are an ingredient and flavor consumers recognize and demand.