The future’s bright for California strawberries

With added acreage this year and production continuing to rise, marketers see a bright future for California strawberries. Jason Fung, vice president of berries and greenhouse categories for The Oppenheimer Group, Vancouver, British Columbia, said strawberries are a growing category. “Strawberry demand last year jumped dramatically from where we’ve seen it in the past,” Fung said.  “It’s great to be in a category that drives people to retail and continues to be one of the largest categories in produce. Consumers celebrate strawberries throughout the entire year and California is the centerpiece of that.” 

“Strawberries fit right in with the healthier lifestyles being followed by younger consumers and consumers with young families,” said Jim Grabowski, director of marketing for Watsonville, Calif.-based Well-Pict Berries Inc.  “Consumers are looking for produce items that offer them flavor, nutrition and convenience. Strawberries have that covered.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show that U.S. strawberry per capita retail availability nearly doubled from 3.9 pounds in 2000 to 7.7 pounds in 2017.

The cost of labor has increased substantially in the past few years, said Roger Privett III, sales and business development manager for Santa Maria, Calif.-based Main Street Produce. “My biggest concern for California strawberries over the next few years would be to ensure a balance between the farmer’s cost to grow and the price at retail,” Privett said.  “Over the last five years, labor costs have risen substantially for both farmers and retailers. Increasing efficiencies have absorbed many of these costs. To sustain the industry, we need to find ways to market at higher prices.” Still, he said there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future of California strawberries.  “Things boil down to the high-quality growers that produce California strawberries and their passion for growing high-quality and delicious strawberries, and that’s a fact consumers are becoming more aware and appreciative of every year,” he said.

Jerry Moran, vice president of sales for Naturipe Farms, Salinas, Calif., said Naturipe has been around for over 100 years as a California berry grower and isn’t stopping now. “I am confident that we will continue to be a leader in the California strawberry industry,” Moran said.  “As the demand for berries continues to grow, we continue to enjoy per capita consumption growth. As always, Naturipe is committed to farming and investing in the future.”

Labor is a big issue for the berry industry, and represents the largest opportunity for improvement and industry collaboration, said Frances Dillard, vice president of brand and produce marketing for Driscoll’s, Watsonville. “Immigration reform is the No. 1 opportunity — we need more focus on policy, including (the) Farmworker Modernization Act,” she said. Innovation in varieties and technology are big reasons that Driscoll’s is optimistic, she said, noting disruption in flavor from Rosé Berries to production methods like Driscoll’s partnership with Plenty. Last October, Driscoll’s and indoor vertical-farming company Plenty Unlimited Inc. announced a joint development agreement to grow Driscoll’s proprietary flavorful strawberries year-round in Plenty’s vertical indoor farms.

Related:
Increased acreage for California spring strawberries
New strawberry varieties in the works for Southern California growers
California’s strawberry crop may top last year’s, growers say