welcome
This event is bringing together industry influencers and thought leaders to explore inspiring blueberry possibilities that are sure to boost your bottom line! This will be a hybrid event, so attend in person or from the comfort of your own home, office or field. If you have any questions, please reach out to events@blueberry.org for more information.
Schedule
| 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Exhibitor Setup Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | NABC President’s Virtual Welcome! Virtual Event Stage Exclusive welcome reception for virtual attendees. Join us for a special message tailored just for you and reconnect with familiar faces in our breakout rooms! Sponsored by: Bee Vectoring Technology (BVT) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM | NABC President’s Welcome! Galleria B Welcome to Tampa! Reconnect with familiar faces at our Welcome Reception. Beat the rush and grab your badge for the week, plus visit with our exhibitors! Sponsored by: Bee Vectoring Technology (BVT) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Registration Open Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8:15 AM - 9:30 AM | Opening Keynote Breakfast Bayshore 2-3 *Breakfast service at 8:15 a.m. and program starts at 8:30 a.m. This engaging session will explain how the latest developments in the macroeconomic environment affect the blueberry industry, from inflation and the rising cost of goods to transportation issues, the labor market and more. Chakravarti will decode heady macro forces and share real-world forecasts for what to expect and how to prepare your business this year. Speaker: Arjun Chakravarti, Ph.D., Managing Partner, COGKNITION Sponsored by: Wish Farms | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM | Break Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | A Conversation With B2B Targets - Keynote General Session: Expert Panel Bayshore 2-3
Hear firsthand about the current issues facing some of our target audiences and how the blueberry industry can support these audiences and continue to drive volume through food service and food manufacturing. We'll be joined by a chef/operator from a high-volume foodservice chain and an R&D professional from a major consumer packaged goods brand who will share their perspectives and answer your questions.
Moderator: Amy Shipley, Managing Director and Partner, SRG Panelists: Adam Croissant, Director of R&D, Chobani and Shane Schaibly, Corporate Chef, First Watch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM | Break Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM | 2022 Foodservice Innovation: A First Taste - Lunch General Session Bayshore 2-3
You've seen the beautiful pictures, now taste the blueberry goodness for yourself! This delicious session will take you behind the scenes of our foodservice innovation process, starting with the macro trends in the industry – the challenges operators are facing; what’s trending on menus; how we identify our priority targets; and how our culinary team ideates across key platforms, ultimately distilling hundreds of ideas down to the most relevant and impactful menu applications that can drive significant volume for blueberries within foodservice. A lead chef from the SRG team (our foodservice agency partner) will be on hand for a live culinary demonstration, and the lunch served will feature several of our latest blueberry culinary innovations for 2022.
Host: Christie Wood, Group Account Director, SRG Chef: Chef Rosalyn Darling, Associate Culinary Director, Sterling-Rice Group Sponsored by: UNITEC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM | USHBC Promotion Committee Meeting Bayshore 5-7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM | Break Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | NABC United Blueberry Advisory Committee Bayshore 5-7 Closed meeting. | Flavor Time - Afternoon Keynote General Session Bayshore 2-3
Let's dive into flavor with this next discussion. Join thought leaders as they share updates on driving future consumption through flavor. This important road ahead speaks to the need for innovation and ensuring that we’re delighting the consumer with blueberries every time. The panel discussion will highlight updates on current research and business strategies driving the development of flavor.
Moderator: Grant Prentice, Senior Vice President of Strategic Insights, FoodMinds Panelists: Gonzalo de Elizalde, Blueberry Product Leadership Senior Director, Driscoll’s and Patricio R. Munoz Ph.D., Blueberry Breeding and Genomics Lab, Horticultural Science Department - IFAS - University of Florida Sponsored by: Driscoll’s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM | Break Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM | Grab a Boost of Blue Happy Hour Garrison Suites Join fellow attendees to toast all the possibilities for blueberries, and reconnect with your blueberry industry colleagues! Sponsored by: Florida Blueberry Growers Association + Keyplex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Here's a glimpse into the farms we'll be visiting and what you'll discover during the tours:
If you're planning on attending the tour, please complete this form ahead of Wednesday.
http://app.thereceptionist.com/contactless/78fOKB/5mSMm5
Astin Farms began in the early 1920s in Plant City, Florida with just several acres of land and a deep-rooted passion for agriculture. Over the years, the small farm began to grow as the family shifted into strawberry production, and eventually began marketing its own produce. In 2013, Astin Farms expanded its crops by planting about 35 acres of blueberries in Wimauma, Florida. The fourth-generation, family-owned and operated farm has continued to grow and expand in both strawberry and blueberry acreage over the years. Since the establishment of the blueberry operation, the farm continues to explore innovative technologies, trial new varieties, improve farming practices and discover methods to complement both strawberry and blueberry seasons in Florida.
During the Astin Farms tour, attendees will gain knowledge of the unique factors that are essential to a successful harvest of blueberries in Florida's unique subtropical climate.
Celebrating our 100th birthday this year, Wish Farms is a fourth-generation, family operated company. As a year-round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and now Pink-A-Boos Pineberries, we grow both conventional and organic varieties throughout North and South America.
Situated on 36 acres, the Wish Farms campus features a 125,000 square foot state-of-the-art packing, cooling and warehouse facility completed in early 2020. Seventeen million cases are shipped from this facility annually. Our 20,000 square feet of solar panels offsets about 25% of our energy usage. And plans are in the works to triple our solar footprint by 2022-23. The 24,000 square foot office space, completed in March 2021, is employee-centric and a reflection of our brand's magical pixie theme. With a treehouse, gym, cafe and slide, many features inside the office incorporate wood we cleared from the site. The repurposed wood can be found in many custom areas throughout.
Tour participants will see it all and have the chance to ask questions and interact with the Wish Farms team.
Tour presenters include:
- Gary Wishnatzki, Owner and "Head Pixie"
- JC Clinard, Chief Operating Officer
- Brian Deese, Director of Blueberry Grower Relations
- Joe Powell, Director of Bushberry Supply
- Andy Gutierrez, Vice President of Operations
- Amber Maloney, Director of Marketing
- Nick Wishnatzki, Public Relations Manager
Frogmore Fresh, LLC drilled its first well in the summer of 2014, and now encompasses 150 acres of Southern highbush blueberries on a 1,400 acre Florida ranch. Founded and owned by the Sigety Family, Frogmore was conceived as a mechanical harvest operation. As such, the farm was designed to enhance the successes of machine harvesting. Every year, the necessary investments in cultural activities and equipment have been to improve the mechanical harvesting process. The search and adoption of superior genetics, tailored to the needs of the operation, is an important element of Frogmore's vision to use innovation and capital investment to improve quality and productivity. A visit to Frogmore showcases how a blueberry grower can benefit from cooperation with a world-class breeding organization such as the University of Florida blueberry breeding program.
During the tour, you'll be welcomed by General Manager Leonard Park who will share a little bit about Frogmore Fresh. Guests will then hear from Patricio Munoz, Ph.D., head of the University of Florida Blueberry breeding program and visit a trial site for seven Southern highbush varieties that are in production or test state. Next up is an Oxbo harvester demonstration and presentation on mechanical harvesting.
Tour presenters include
- Leonard Park, General Manager, Frogmore Fresh
- Patricio Munoz, Head of the UF blueberry breeding program
- Doug Phillips, UF Blueberry Extension Coordinator
- Kyle Hill, Southern Hill Farm Manager and HandC Owner-President
| 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM | Registration Open Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM | Farm Tour Various Farms Embark on a blueberry journey around Tampa! This ticketed tour departs the Hilton promptly at 8 a.m. Meet in the lobby to get on the shuttle bus. We will be visiting three farms: Astin Farms, Wish Farms and Frogmore Fresh | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM | USHBC & NABC Reception Ulele Before dinner begins at Ulele, enjoy an hour of networking with blueberry industry stakeholders, greet longtime friends and make new connections! Shuttle to the reception and dinner departs the Hilton at 5:45 p.m. Meet in the lobby to get on the shuttle bus. Sponsored by: Optimum Sorting + Rose Timmer Associates Ulele 1810 N Highland Ave, Tampa, FL 33602 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | USHBC & NABC Dinner Ulele Join your colleagues and the USHBC/NABC team at Ulele for dinner and networking. Shuttle to the reception and dinner departs the Hilton at 5:45 p.m. Meet in the lobby to get on the shuttle bus. Sponsored by: AgroFresh + Highland Ag Ulele 1810 N Highland Ave, Tampa, FL 33602 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7:00 AM - 4:45 PM | Registration Open Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM | NABC Board & 2021 Crop Report Bayshore 5-7 Attendance of the NABC meetings is complimentary for active members of the NABC. Nonmembers may attend by applying for membership or purchasing a ticket. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM | Break Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | USHBC Industry Relations Committee Bayshore 5-7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Joint Council Lunch Bayshore 2-3 Closed meeting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11:15 AM - 12:30 PM | Best Practices in Crisis Communications - Lunch Garrison Suites Registration required. Limited seating available. Dan Barber, senior partner and general manager for FleishmanHillard, will share best practices for creating a crisis communication plan before an emergency hits. Advance registration is required. Seating is limited. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM | USHBC Health Research and Nutrition Committee Esplanade 1-3 | USHBC Export Committee Bayshore 5-7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1:45 PM - 2:15 PM | Break Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM | USHBC Innovation and Technology Committee Esplanade 1-3 | USHBC Good Practices Committee Bayshore 5-7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3:15 PM - 3:45 PM | Break Galleria B | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM | USHBC Council Meeting Bayshore 5-7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Ken Patterson Hall of Fame Fishing Tournament 2022 Hooks Waterfront Bar and Grill Who will be the champion?! Buses depart the Hilton for this sold-out ticketed event at 8 a.m. Tournament starts at 9 a.m. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
Presenting
Featured
BOOST
Event
Reception & Dinner Sponsors
President's Welcome Reception:
Tuesday's Lunch Keynote:
Grab a Boost of Blue Happy Hour:
Wednesday reception:
Wednesday dinner sponsors:
Ken Patterson Hall of Fame Fishing Tournament
State & Country Partners
