The winners of the 2026 Greenhouse Competition in Leamington, Ontario, have been announced, recognizing excellence in greenhouse-grown produce across the province’s most innovative greenhouse growers.
The Leamington area is widely recognized as a leader in greenhouse production, driving advancements in product development, technology and exceptional flavor. This annual industry competition brings together some of the largest greenhouse growers in North America, celebrating top-performing produce across a variety of categories.
All funds raised through the competition support REACH International, a charitable organization that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help build schools and medical clinics, provide access to clean drinking water and support children and families in Africa.
Featuring 197 product entries from many of the industry’s leading greenhouse growers, the competition takes place in Essex County, Ontario, home to North America’s largest concentration of greenhouse-grown produce suppliers and serves as a recognized benchmark for product quality, flavor and innovation.
Red Sun Farms Wins Prestigious Award in First Year Participating
This year, Red Sun Farms’ Sweet North Strawberries received both the Best Berry and Overall Best Strawberry awards. Red Sun Farms also earned recognition for the Hottest Tomato in the roma category.
“We are incredibly proud to receive both the Best Berry and Overall Best Strawberry recognition at the 2026 Greenhouse Competition in Leamington,” says Paul J. Mastronardi, business development and account manager for Red Sun Farms. “These awards are a testament to the dedication and collaboration behind our strawberry breeding program, including the ongoing research and varietal development work with our valued partners at Heritable and CIV. Together, we are focused on advancing greenhouse-grown strawberries through innovation, flavor, quality and consistency — bringing exceptional products to both retailers and consumers.”
“We are extremely proud of the recognition our team has received at the 2026 Greenhouse Competition in Leamington,” says Harold Paivarinta, vice president of sales and business development. “With more than 70 entries in the berry category, this recognition is a true testament to the exceptional flavor, quality and consistency that Sweet North Strawberries deliver. To receive such a prestigious award in our first year participating makes the achievement even more meaningful. Earning awards for both our strawberry program and the Hottest Tomato in the roma category reflects our continued commitment to innovation, flavor and quality across our product portfolio. These achievements are a testament to the passion and expertise of our growers, partners and team members who continue to push the boundaries of greenhouse-grown produce.”
Del Fresco Pure’s Award-Winning Peppers Shine
Del Fresco Pure celebrated a standout performance at this year’s competition, earning top recognition in multiple pepper categories and reinforcing the company’s leadership in premium greenhouse-grown produce. Del Fresco Pure peppers captured several of the competition’s highest honors:
- First place, Red Bell Pepper — Del Fresco Pure Sweet Rainbow Peppers (red)
- First place, Specialty Mini Pepper — Del Fresco Pure Sweetreats (orange)
- Second place, Specialty Long Pepper — Del Fresco Pure Torino Sweets
In addition to its pepper success, Del Fresco Pure also earned:
- 2nd place, Beefsteak Tomatoes — Del Fresco Pure Beefsteak Tomatoes
- 3rd place, Cocktail Tomatoes — Del Fresco Pure Delights Sweet Red Cocktail Tomatoes
“We are incredibly proud of the recognition our pepper program received this year,” says Ray Mastronardi, vice president of sales for Del Fresco Pure. “These awards reflect the passion and dedication of our entire growing team, but what makes this event truly special is the opportunity to come together as an industry in support of REACH International. We are grateful to be part of an organization and event that gives back, strengthens our community and supports meaningful initiatives both locally and internationally.”
Nature Fresh Farms Continues to Raise the Bar
Nature Fresh Farms has earned 14 awards, including eight first-place awards at the competition, with recognition spanning cucumbers, peppers, berries and tomatoes.
This year, Nature Fresh Farms was recognized across multiple categories for products distinguished by flavor, consistency and consumer appeal. Top honors for its products included:
- People’s Choice Best Berry — Razzes Raspberry
- People’s Choice Best Pepper — Sweet S’naps Orange Specialty Long Pepper
- Chef’s Choice — Taste Good, Feel Good Red Bell Pepper
- Chef’s Choice — Sauci Roma Tomato
- Chef’s Choice — Taste Good, Feel Good Mini Seedless Cucumber
- Best Beefsteak Tomato — Taste Good, Feel Good Beefsteak Tomato
- Perfect Pepper — Hotties Hot Pepper
- Best Berry — Razzes Raspberry
In addition, the company earned multiple second- and third-place finishes across several categories.
“These awards are meaningful because they reflect the work our teams are doing to lead through flavor, innovation and execution in an increasingly competitive greenhouse category,” says Matt Quiring, senior vice president of brand, products and marketing for Nature Fresh Farms. “Nature Fresh Farms performed strongest in specialty, flavor-forward, chef-inspired categories, including several People’s Choice and Chef’s Choice recognitions that reflect both consumer connection and culinary validation.”
As a sponsor of this year’s event, Nature Fresh Farms was proud to support the continued success of the competition and the charitable mission behind it.
“As the category evolves, we see continued opportunity to differentiate through flavor, innovation and execution,” Quiring says. This recognition reinforces Nature Fresh Farms’ dedication to delivering premium greenhouse-grown products that resonate with consumers, according to the company.
Sunset Stands Out with Multiple Category Wins
Mastronardi Produce exhibited standout performance at this year’s competitions, continuing the brand’s legacy of exceptional greenhouse-grown produce.
Sunset impressed the judges with outstanding flavor, appearance and overall quality, earning a total of 27 awards, with top honors in the following categories:
- Best Overall Tomato — Wild Wonders
- Specialty Tomato — Wild Wonders
- Bite-sized Tomato — Bombs Squad
- Specialty Pepper — Aloha
- Chef’s Choice, Strawberry — Summer Delight
Over the years, Mastronardi Produce has won over 200 awards at this competition, evaluated by a panel of independent experts, including representatives from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, chefs and retail produce professionals. This history of strong performance highlights Mastronardi’s commitment to consistent excellence from seed to shelf, the company says.
“Each year, this competition brings out the very best in our industry,” says Paul Mastronardi, president and CEO of Mastronardi Produce. “We’re incredibly proud of our growers and teams who make achievements like this possible. Their passion for quality and innovation continues to set the standard.”
Looking ahead, Mastronardi Produce remains focused on pushing boundaries in the produce industry, supporting its grower network and continuing to deliver the fresh and flavorful Sunset produce customers know and love.
