Leamington, Ontario-based Nature Fresh Farms is expanding its greenhouse strawberry acreage from one to 16 acres, with help from growing partner Cielo Vista, to be completed this fall.
“Partnering with Cielo Vista for our strawberry program was an easy decision … We have been extremely happy with the quality and flavor we’ve been able to grow, which is why we are expanding the program,” Niels Klapwijk, director of procurement, said in the release.
Nature Fresh Farms leaders were pleased at the interest and demand they received after presenting greenhouse-grown samples to their partners.
“Our retail and foodservice partners have expressed challenges within the berry category. However, every challenge presents an opportunity for us and greenhouse supply,” Matt Quiring, director of sales, said in the release.
The company has worked for two years on trial and development in order to add strawberries to its list of commodities.
Strawberries are one of the top fruit imports in Canada, so this expansion would help reduce food miles through increased local production that shortens transportation routes.
Growing greenhouse strawberries is an opportunity to drive this rapidly expanding category to North American markets previously out of reach due to lengthy food-mile barriers, according to the release.
“With the success of this commodity, we see the potential progression of the strawberry program while opening new opportunities for future berry varietals,” John Ketler, vice president, said in the release.
The Nature Fresh Farms team continues to focus on research and development. The year-round grower has farms in Leamington; Delta, Ohio; and Mexico.
