The International Blueberry Organization (IBO) has announced an exciting program for the upcoming IBO Summit, which will be held in Lublin, Poland from July 3-6, 2023, reflecting the global nature of the industry and its focus on making blueberries the world’s favorite ‘super fruit’.
The Summit includes in-person visits to some of the world’s largest blueberry farms, where Poland’s leading blueberry growers will share their experiences. There will also be a focus on examining how production can be further improved and consumption levels increased globally, while a major session devoted to ‘Making Blueberries the World’s Favorite Superfruit’ promises to be a highlight.
The Summit will begin with a presentation on the IBO Global State of the Blueberry Industry Report by Cort Brazelton, Co-CEO of Fall Creek, and Colin Fain, CEO of Agronometrics, 2023.
A round table discussion will follow on the impact of disruptive production growth in some regions of the world on the future of the industry. In the ‘Local Spotlight’ session, a panel will discuss what is happening in Poland, Ukraine and Turkey.
Two of the top players in the global blueberry industry, Soren Bjorn, President of Driscoll’s of the Americas, and Juan Ignacio Allende, CEO of Hortifrut, will provide valuable insights on what the future holds for the blueberry industry. This will then lead into several breakout sessions on the topic of innovation. The first day will conclude with our can’t-miss Gala Dinner.
The second day ‘Know Your Consumer’ session, with presentations from ZurGroup’s Felipe Silva on the outlook for blueberry consumption worldwide, and from David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London, who will talk about consumer preferences around the world. Mario Steta, Operation's Director EMEA at Driscoll’s of Europe, will delve into ‘The Sustainability Challenge’. Farm tours will take place on the third day.
“The IBO Summit 2023 promises to be an exciting event for the global blueberry community. It will be the first time in four years that the industry has been able to come together and share firsthand its collective knowledge to drive this great industry forward and on to further success,” said Peter McPherson, President of the IBO.
“With drought conditions and water volumes and access becoming more restricted in many areas of Europe, western USA and Latin America, and with farm worker availability decreasing to significant levels in key production regions, the need to further understand and define actions to deal with these and other elements impacting production, becomes more critical.
"Furthermore, the geopolitical events of the last months have impacted prices and availability of key inputs like fertilizers, adding to this need to optimize the use of this resources and achieve greater efficiencies on the way we grow and deliver blueberries to our consumers” said Mario Steta, Operation's Director EMEA at Driscoll’s of Europe.
For more information:
Dominika Kozarzewska
Email: info@internationalblueberry.org
www.ibosummit2023.com