Blueberry Council Unveils 4 Sweet Startups Selected For Innovation Accelerator

Blueberries are stepping out of the produce aisle and into bold new products, thanks to a new accelerator program thats giving the fruit a starring role in everything from high-protein desserts to prebiotic powders.

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), in partnership with innovation advisory firm VentureFuel, named four startups to the inaugural Blueberry Boost Accelerator, chosen by a panel of blueberry industry leaders for weaving blueberries into wellness, playful snacking formats and better-for-you indulgence. The program, launched earlier this year, is designed to fuel forward-thinking product innovation and elevate blueberries as a hero ingredient.

New York–based Bonny is bringing a clean-label prebiotic fiber powder with blueberry-infused flavor to the gut-health aisle.

“Were making fiber that isnt crappy. Most products in this category dont work, taste bad, and havent had an upgrade since 1934,” said Bonny Founder Jessica Postiglione.

“Our products taste amazing, look great, and actually make you want to share your bowel movement with the group chat,” she said. “That starts with the best fiber product on the market. We use two types of fiber: psyllium husk and prebiotic inulin. This combo supports gut health more effectively, and we flavor with real fruit like blueberries, not artificial junk. We approach flavor like a culinary chef. You get real functional benefits with ingredients your body loves and your taste buds actually enjoy.”

From Salem, Ore., Farmer Bobs “Beyond Berries” reshapes upcycled blueberries and raspberries with naturally sweet dates into a frozen, nutrient-dense fruit snack.

“Were bringing true innovation to a category that hasnt seen much of it — frozen fruit,” said Farmer Bob President Bob Underwood. “By using upcycled berries and combining them with whole, functional ingredients, weve created a product thats delicious, nutritious and delivers something entirely new to the freezer aisle.”

Pluff, based in Orlando, Fla., debuts a high-protein, mousse-style dessert in a “Berry Blast” flavor, made with real freeze-dried blueberries.

“At Pluff, were excited to showcase the power of blueberries through our Berry Blast flavor, a vibrant, high-protein dessert made with real freeze-dried blueberries,” said Pluff Founder Dylan Paul. “By incorporating a super fruit like blueberries in the first ever whipped protein dessert were able to deliver a game changer of a product! Freeze dried blueberries provide real fruit taste, natural sweetness and natural color which takes our product to the next level. ”

In Wapato, Wash., Sorbattos “Blue Cream” is a dairy-free, allergy-friendly frozen dessert made from 75% highbush blueberries, with no added sugar or water, offering a fruit-first alternative to traditional ice cream.

Companies were evaluated on volume potential and market relevance; unique value proposition and differentiation (including blueberry prominence); product marketability and PR potential; fundability and scale; and founding team strength.

“Whether eaten by the handful or in a favorite recipe, blueberries are a delicious and special staple — and weve known they have huge potential in ingredient innovation,” said USHBC President Kasey Cronquist. “This cohort of inventive entrepreneurial brands is demonstrating how blueberries can add great taste, excitement and wellness benefits to products across categories. Were thrilled to be part of the promotion and continued growth of these innovators.”

The cohort now enters a nine-week accelerator sprint featuring weekly one-on-one coaching from VentureFuel, expert sessions with industry leaders, peer roundtables, and support developing marketing materials, including a professionally produced commercial. The program culminates in a live pitch competition at The Blueberry Convention in Seattle, Oct. 8–10, where the winner receives $20,000 and the runner-up $10,000.

“This cohort shows how startup-driven innovation can introduce blueberries to new consumers in exciting, unexpected ways,” said Fred Schonenberg, founder and CEO of VentureFuel. “These founders are creating products that deliver on what todays shoppers crave — flavor, function and fun — while unlocking new paths to commercial scale that benefit the entire blueberry category.”