International Berry Summit unveils packed programme of events

The IBO Blueberry Summit will take place in a 100% virtual format from August 23 to 25. The three-day event, organised by the Association of Producers and Exporters of Peru (Proarandanos) together with the International Blueberry Organization (IBO), will include presentations by world-renowned specialists in the industry and virtual visits to various fields in Peru to understand the operations that have led the country to become the main exporter of blueberries.

The summit will begin with a presentation about the Peruvian industry, its growth factors and future projections by the president of Proarandanos Daniel Bustamante. After, a discussion of blueberry growing methods with Sebastián Ochoa and Mariusz Padewsky, renowned consultants in this crop. This discussion will be followed by a presentation by Cort Brazelton, Fall Creek Co-CEO, with the global industry report. To close the first day, there will be virtual visits to different blueberry fields in Peru, where the attendees will get to learn about different aspects of Peruvian operations in regions such as La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, and Ica among others.

The second day will begin with a presentation about the promotion and marketing strategies of the avocado industry by Emiliano Escobedo, the Executive Director of the Hass Avocado Board. The board has achieved extraordinary results worthy of replication in the blueberry industry. Next, there will be a round table discussion on the future of the seasonal offerings with representatives of the main blueberry-producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere including Chile, Mexico, Peru, South Africa and Morocco. The day will end with a presentation by Amy Howell, a researcher at Rutgers University on the latest in scientific research on blueberries. There will also be a second block of virtual field visits.

The last day will have three presentations, the first being on digital marketing and social media by Jennifer Sparks, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at USHBC. This will be followed by a round table discussion on sustainability beyond the traditional approach and moderated by Mario Steta, Vice President of Driscoll’s for Mexico. To close the day, David Hugues, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London will present the latest trends related to quality and consumer preferences.

This event is filled with content and conversations about the latest trends in the industry at a technical, promotional and environmental level, as well as statistics and growth perspectives.

More information can be found on the event website : ibosummit2021.com.pe.