North American Blueberry Council

What North American Blueberry Council does

The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1965 and headquartered in Folsom, California, that represents the U.S. blueberry industry. Its member base consists of blueberry growers and handlers, who join to access federal advocacy, industry data and reports, the Good Practices Program (covering food safety, labor, and handler guidance), the Trade 101 webinar series, an annual awards program, and a member directory. NABC is the recognized industry voice in Washington, D.C., lobbying on trade policy, tariffs, food safety, and labor issues affecting the sector.

NABC operates a community-led go-to-market model, acquiring members through advocacy positioning, industry resources, and member benefits rather than a transactional sales motion. Its revenue is generated through recurring membership dues from growers and handlers, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The organization employs 18 staff and maintains a single Folsom, California office. It has no disclosed software products, APIs, AI capabilities, or proprietary technology platform — its offerings are services and content rather than technology.

NABC is closely aligned with the United States Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), a separate federal research-and-promotion body, with which it co-produces the 'Business of Blueberries' podcast, shares data insights, and jointly promotes the 2026 USHBC continuance referendum. Distribution is direct: members enroll through the NABC website and member portal, and the organization uses email, SMS alerts, events (notably the annual Blueberry Hill Climb in Washington, D.C.), and its website as primary engagement channels.

Name

North American Blueberry Council

Legal name

North American Blueberry Council

Website

https://nabcblues.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The North American Blueberry Council is a non-profit trade association serving U.S. blueberry growers and handlers through federal advocacy, industry data, compliance resources, and member events. Founded in 1965, it operates from Folsom, California with 18 staff and partners closely with USHBC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Folsom

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The NABC generates revenue through membership fees from blueberry industry members including growers and handlers. Members pay dues in exchange for access to advocacy services, industry data, resources, and member benefits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) is a nonprofit trade association that supports the business of the North American blueberry industry by providing members with advocacy representation in Washington D.C., industry and consumer data, and resources covering food safety, labor, and handler best practices. It also operates member communications, an annual impact report, and the Trade 101 Webinar Series, while collaborating with the United States Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC) on shared industry initiatives.

Product overview

The North American Blueberry Council (NABC) is an industry trade organization serving the blueberry industry, not a technology product company. It operates as a single unified service offering centered on industry advocacy, member resources, and information sharing. Its core services include Advocacy representation in Washington D.C., Data and Reports (including Annual Impact Reports), the Good Practices Program (covering Food Safety, Labor, and Handler resources), Trade 101 Webinar Series, NABC Awards, and a Membership Directory. Additionally, NABC provides access to the USHBC's weekly podcast 'The Business of Blueberries' and USHBC Data & Insights. The organization does not offer software products, platforms, APIs, or AI-powered solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy Services

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United States Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNABC works closely with USHBC, which operates the weekly podcast 'The Business of Blueberries' and provides data and insights for the industry. Both organizations collaborate on industry initiatives including referendums such as the 2026 USHBC continuance referendum.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• North American Raspberry & Blackberry Association (NARBA): NARBA is a small, berry-specific trade association serving raspberry and blackberry growers and allied businesses. It is directly comparable to NABC in operating model, member base, scale, and value proposition (advocacy, research, education) but for an adjacent berry crop.
• United States Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC): USHBC is the federally chartered research and promotion board for highbush blueberries and operates the podcast 'The Business of Blueberries' that NABC distributes. NABC and USHBC share overlapping memberships, leadership, and industry initiatives, including the 2026 continuance referendum, making them the closest direct peer.
• Cranberry Marketing Committee: The Cranberry Marketing Committee is a federally authorized cranberry research and promotion order that conducts industry-wide marketing, research, and advocacy. It parallels NABC's relationship with USHBC and shares the same crop-specific trade association model for a different berry category.
• American Mushroom Institute: AMI is a single-crop US agricultural trade association serving mushroom growers with research, advocacy, and member services. It is structurally comparable to NABC in scale, member-funded model, and service mix, but for the mushroom industry.

Broad incumbents

• National Potato Council: The National Potato Council is a US commodity trade association offering federal advocacy, regulatory engagement, and industry data. It is comparable to NABC as a single-crop agricultural association with a D.C.-focused advocacy and policy mission, though at a larger scale.
• Western Growers Association: Western Growers is a regional agricultural trade association serving produce growers and handlers in the western US with advocacy, science, and member services. It overlaps NABC's grower/handler member base and provides the same category of value, but covers a broader set of crops and geographies.
• United Fresh Produce Association: United Fresh is a broad produce industry trade association delivering advocacy, food safety, and workforce resources. Its member services and policy focus closely parallel NABC's portfolio, but it serves the entire fresh produce industry rather than a single crop.
• Produce Marketing Association: PMA is a larger, established trade association serving the broader produce industry with advocacy, events, and data services. It is comparable to NABC because it provides the same category of services (advocacy, networking, intelligence) to produce industry members, but at a wider category level rather than the blueberry-specific niche.

Regional players

• Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association: FFVA is a Florida-based trade association representing fruit and vegetable growers on labor, water, and regulatory issues. It is comparable to NABC's advocacy and member-service model but serves a broader crop portfolio within a single US state.

Others

• Alliance for Food and Farming: AFF is a non-profit coalition that provides science-based safety information and advocates for produce growers on pesticide and food safety issues. It is thematically comparable to NABC's food safety and advocacy work, especially under the Good Practices Program, but serves as an enabling coalition rather than a single-crop trade association.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-american-blueberry-council

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about North American Blueberry Council