In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist, president of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) and the North American Blueberry Council (NABC), is joined by Jennifer Sparks, USHBC/NABC vice president of marketing and communications, and Christie Wood, group account director at the Sterling-Rice Group. Cronquist brings Sparks and Wood on to discuss the recent https://www.flavorexperience.com/ (Flavor Experience) conference held in Monterey, California, in early September and how it relates to USHBC’s foodservice programs. 
Click https://foodprofessionals.blueberry.org/for-foodservice/#patron-demand-study (here) to read the recent USHBC Patron Study. 
“The [foodservice] industry is recovering much faster than expected, which is great news for all of us. And, some of those alternative [foodservice] formats that were created over the last year-and-a half are probably here to stay.” - Christie Wood
Topics covered include:
Sparks and Cronquist’s reflections on their first visit to the experience. 
The importance of having face-to-face conversations in conference settings. 
The state of the foodservice industry and how the pandemic changed relationships with restaurants. 
The reactions to USHBC recipe development from Flavor Experience attendees.