Nov 19, 2025

USHBC names winners of first Blueberry Boost Accelerator Pitch Competition

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) has named the winners of its first Blueberry Boost Accelerator Pitch Competition.

The contest concluded the nine-week Blueberry Boost Accelerator, a program developed by USHBC with innovation advisory firm VentureFuel to encourage product development and highlight blueberries as a key ingredient in food and beverages, according to a news release.

Orlando-based dessert company Pluff took first place, earning the $20,000 grand prize, while New York-based Bonny, a flavoring agent, received $10,000 as runner-up.

The program provided mentorship, strategic guidance and industry connections to four startup brands, helping founders prepare for commercialization and long-term growth. Mentors and speakers included experts from leading organizations in the blueberry and consumer packaged goods industries. Winners were recognized at USHBC’s convention Oct. 8-10 in Seattle.

The cohort and Oct. 9 pitch competition participants were:

• Bonny (New York): prebiotic fiber supplement powder
• Farmer Bob’s “Beyond Berries” (Salem, Oregon): upcycled frozen berry product blended with dates
• Pluff (Orlando, Florida): high-protein whipped mousse dessert
• Sorbatto’s “Blue Cream” (Wapato, Washington): dairy-free frozen dessert made with 75% highbush blueberries

Pitches were evaluated by a live panel of industry experts, including:

• Kasey Cronquist, USHBC president
• George Daines, director of sales and business development, Cultivate CPG
• Amira Khatib, vice president, Bluestein Ventures
• Jeff Malensky, president, Oregon Berry Packing
• Kellie Peaslee, supplier manager, KeHE Food Distributors

Pluff impressed judges with its whipped, mousse-style, blueberry-flavored dessert that delivers 20 grams of protein and just 4 grams of sugar per serving. Bonny, the runner-up, uses blueberries as a natural flavoring in its prebiotic fiber powders.

In addition to pitching, all four companies exhibited on The Blueberry Convention’s Blueberry Row, sampling products and connecting with growers, handlers, marketers and other industry stakeholders.

“This program underscores the incredible innovation happening at the intersection of food, beverage and agriculture,” Cronquist said in the release. “We extend our sincere congrats to these founders, who are reimagining what’s possible with blueberries — taking them from the fruit we all know and love to a true hero ingredient across categories. The Blueberry Convention provided an excellent forum for our industry to experience this innovation firsthand by engaging directly with these entrepreneurs, tasting their products and seeing their passion and creativity come alive on the main stage.”