Asia Fruit Logistica, the region’s premier fresh produce show, will make its long-awaited return to an in-person format in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 2 to 4. Joining exhibitors from around the region and world will be the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, showcasing premium U.S. blueberries in its first-ever appearance as an exhibitor at AFL.

With an annual production of approximately 300,000 metric tons, the United States is the world’s largest blueberry producer. The USHBC promotes U.S. blueberries in a variety of formats ranging from fresh to processed forms such as frozen, dried, freeze-dried and canned, as well as blueberry juice and juice concentrate. The USHBC’s presence at AFL reflects the U.S. blueberry industry’s goal of supplying more blueberries to strategic target markets in Asia, such as China, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and South Korea.

China, where blueberry consumption is on a steep upward trend, is one of the markets where U.S. blueberry exporters have succeeded in recent years. Fresh U.S. blueberries first gained market access to China in 2020, with the first successful commercial shipment following in July 2021. Within six months of that shipment, the United States exported 14 tons of fresh blueberries to China, laying a solid foundation for future sales growth.

August of this year saw the China debut of Peachy Blue, an exciting newly commercialized blueberry variety from the United States that features a unique aromatic flavor with hints of fresh peach. The new variety was a hit with consumers. Several other new varieties of fresh blueberries imported from the United States are expected to become available to consumers in China in the coming years.

Well before fresh U.S. blueberries came to China, U.S. exporters had already established a strong market presence for processed blueberries, which are in high demand by China’s fast-growing food and beverage processing segment owing to their high quality and consistency. In fact, China’s imports of processed U.S. blueberries have tripled since 2020, driven by strong demand for frozen U.S. blueberries.

The USHBC booth at AFL will showcase the organization’s one-stop range of services and resources for customers — from market insights and sourcing solutions to culinary inspiration and consumer education. With the combination of these resources and ongoing promotional efforts in global markets, the USHBC hopes to see sustained growth in demand from consumers, food service operators, food manufacturers and retailers in Asia and beyond.

EXHIBITION INFORMATION

Asia Fruit Logistica

Date and time: Nov. 2–4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand

USHBC booth location: Hall 1-3, P-32

USHBC COCKTAIL RECEPTION

Date and time: Nov. 3, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Location: Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, USHBC booth (Hall 1-3, P-32)

Note from USHBC: Parties interested in importing or retailing U.S. fresh blueberries are welcome to join the cocktail reception organized by USHBC free of charge and discuss further with a representative. If you would like to pre-schedule a meeting with a USHBC representative, don’t hesitate to contactchristina@mzmc.com.cnto arrange a time.

Images: USHBC

This article was translated from Chinese.

See all our English news in one place at producereport.com