Decoding the Retail Landscape – What the Latest Data Tells Us
From The Business of Blueberries by U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
April 9, 2026 · 47 min · Season 1 · Episode 230
About this episode
The episode features insights from Tom Barnes on how market data influences the blueberry industry and retail strategies.
In this episode of “The Business of Blueberries,” Kasey Cronquist , president of the U.S. Highbush Council ( USHBC ) and the North American Blueberry Council ( NABC ), is joined by Tom Barnes , interim director of data and business intelligence at the USHBC and NABC, and president and CEO of Category Partners . Barnes is a veteran of the perishables industry with a deep passion for how data drives retail success. He has spent over two decades helping major retailers and suppliers navigate the relationship between business insights and market performance. Under his leadership, Category Partners has become a go-to resource for primary consumer research and technology solutions in the fresh food space. He joins the podcast to share his unique perspective and insight into the impact of market data on the blueberry industry. “ Price is always a factor and always will be a factor. You can't just sell it for whatever you want, but it tells you that there is higher demand for blueberries every year, and the consumption is moving up, which isn't the case for every commodity.” — Tom Barnes Topics covered include: An introduction to Barnes and his work for USHBC/NABC and Category Partners…
People in this episode
Host: Kasey Cronquist
Guest: Tom Barnes
Topics covered
- blueberry industry
- market data
- retail success
- consumer research
- crop report
Keywords
- blueberries
- market data
- retail
- consumer research
- crop report
- business insights
- perishables industry
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, North American Blueberry Council, Category Partners
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