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 Garland Reiter Jr., chief commercial officer (CCO) for Driscoll’s of the Americas and a fourth-generation berry industry leader. Reiter is known for driving innovation, sustainability and strategic growth across the berry category, which spans many global markets. In his current role, he oversees sales strategy, market expansion, customer development and business solutions, driving revenue growth across North and South America.

“ On a daily basis, the principal part of my job is to try to share with our customers the importance of focusing on the consumer. The importance there and how you get that message to a consumer is by branding. And so sharing with them the value chain that we invest on the genetics, we invest on the supply chain, and we invest on the brand . … The job of the first clamshell is to sell the next clamshell.” – Garland Reiter Jr.

Topics covered include:

• An introduction to Reiter and his career in the berry industry.
• An exploration of Driscoll’s focus on expanding and elevating the eating experience for customers.
• A look at the tiered produce offerings available in Europe, and a discussion of whether that marketing model will make its way to U.S. grocery shelves.