Blueberries have been growing at a rapid rate in retail, according to the United Fresh Produce Association's FreshFacts report for the second quarter of 2020.

For the second quarter, FreshFacts reported sales of $ 584 million, 10,6% more than in the second quarter of 2019 and 17,1% more than two years ago.

The volume of retail blueberries sold in the second quarter of 2020 was 159 million pounds, 6,9% more than the second quarter of last year and 19,8% more than two years ago.

Retail price per pound in the second quarter was $ 3,69, up 3,4% from a year ago, according to the report.

Blueberries have been a growing category for several years, said Mike Mauti, managing partner and senior vice president at Execulytics Consulting.

The year-round availability of blueberries, their superfruit status, and their versatility all play a role in the popularity of blueberries, Mauti said.

In terms of versatility, blueberries can be eaten straight, used as a breakfast food, as a topping for cereal or yogurt, used in smoothies, baked into muffins, and used as a salad dressing.

"For these reasons, retailers seek to present them nearly 52 weeks a year," Mauti said.

“Even in the winter months we see several ads each week, even in larger packages like pints and 18 ounces, which have become more common in recent years.”

Mauti said that blueberries have entered many consumers' shopping lists.

"I consider blueberries to be a regular shopping list item throughout the year, but when summer rolls around they get an extra boost from impulse purchases in the larger pack sizes," Mauti said.

“Thinking back 10-15 years, blueberries have become a 52 week program for all the reasons mentioned above. I anticipate that blueberries will continue to enjoy growth for the foreseeable future as more volumes come online and all growing regions (continue) to grow more.

Karen Brux, general director for North America of the Chilean Fresh Fruit Association, said that COVID-19 has had a big impact on the way consumers eat and that influences blueberry promotions.

People eat healthier foods, cook more at home and plan meals in advance, he said.

"This is our opportunity to be inspired with convenient, healthy and tasty ideas," he said.

“We have recipes and usage ideas for everything from Blueberry Power Balls to Blueberry Chia Parfaits, as well as a huge social network (over 500.000 Facebook fans and 37.000 Instagram fans).”

Brux said that retail promotions will be the group's main focus as it will partner with retailers to boost Chilean blueberry sales and grow the category.

“As COVID-19 continues and we enter flu season, I hope retailers want to continue to focus on the health benefits, so we're probably talking about the high antioxidant content of blueberries. Digital coupons and ads are incredibly popular, with few in-store promotions, so we will incorporate health messages into the work we do with retailers, ”he said.