Thanks to imported berries, U.S. shoppers don’t have to wait for summertime to enjoy their favorite fruits, from bright blueberries to juicy blackberries and raspberries.
Market conditions are making berry imports even more desirable for retailers.
The 2023 fiscal year could have a $5 billion sales surge for agricultural imports, according to the Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade: November 2022 report, published by the USDA’s Economic Research Service and Foreign Agricultural Service. The USDA expects sales for imported horticultural products to reach a record-setting $100 billion in 2022, including a $300 million jump for fresh fruit imports due to factors such as drought conditions in key U.S. fruit-producing regions and rising domestic production costs.
Learn: All about berry commodities
Another point in foreign fruit’s favor is the strong U.S. dollar, which makes imported agricultural goods comparatively affordable for the domestic U.S. market.
Fresh berries in particular are seeing a major sales spike. From January to October 2022, the dollar value for fresh berry imports to the U.S. was $3.9 billion — a jump of 11% over the same period the previous year.
Among berry export regions, South Asia saw the largest dollar sales growth at 428%, although its actual dollar sales were some of the lowest at $59,000. The next top sales percent change was 29% from the European Union and 20% from Oceania, the region of thousands of islands in the central and southern parts of the Pacific Ocean, including Australia.
Retailers, try these tips for maximizing fresh berry sales all year long:
- Don’t play favorites. Customers love having options, so carry all the most popular varieties: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
- Size up. Shoppers are eating healthier these days, and rising costs are inspiring families to seek better value in the produce section. Carry a variety of sizes to suit customers’ needs, from pint-size packs to 2-pound and 4-pound options.
- Turn to tie-ins. Inspire customers to buy berries by adding grocery tie-ins near your berry section or by creating custom displays. These could include granola, pound cakes, whipped cream and other berry-friendly accessories.