The Power within the Blueberry Industry in Northwest USA Blueberries are one of the few fruits native to North America. In the United States of America blueberries rank only second to strawberries in the amount of berries consumed. They were first produced by Native Americans hundreds of years ago and later when the Europeans arrived in North America, they were taught by the Native Americans to grow blueberries. Many blueberry farmers produce low-bush blueberries which are the wild and natural blueberries that were produced then however more recently some farms produce high bush blueberries which are the domesticated variety. These blueberries have grown in popularity in the 2000s. The Native Americans used blueberries in a variety of ways …show more content…
Allfoods is a typical example of the retailer that sells Hurst’s berries. The company has fruit merchandisers who set margins and design sales campaigns in the Northwest and other regions whilst a single individual handles all the non-organic blueberry purchases. (Lev, 2014) Allfoods aims to have fresh blueberries available in their stores for sale during the entire year. An Allfoods buyer stated that the local deals are a priority and big business for them therefore local suppliers receive preferential treatment. More than 30 percent of the fresh produced sold is sourced and purchased locally. As with other major customers, Hurst’s works with Allfoods to provide special packaging and products for special campaigns. Allfoods is a self-distributing chain so the fresh blueberries pass through a Portland distribution centre before going to individual stores. Allfoods optimizes impulse buying of blueberries by creating ‘berry patch’ displays. For optimal shelf life the berries must be store in dry refrigeration at 32-34 degrees. Once the berries arrive at the store, they should be sold from 7-14 days and eaten within 1 week. Blueberries are consumed in various ways such as a raw fruit. They can also be used for cooking and baking. It is a versatile product that can be consumed in various