Oppy goes hydroponic with new strawberry release
Vancouver, British Columbia-based Oppy has released its first-ever hydroponic strawberry collection Happy Berry.
The strawberries, available in 12-ounce clamshell packages and released under the Ocean Spray license, were harvested for the first time earlier this month, said Kelsey Van Lissum, marketing communications manager for Oppy.
In a hydroponic tabletop concept developed by New Wave Berry LLC, the strawberries are grown on chest-height tables, making it easier on farmworkers to plant, tend and harvest the berries, the company said in a news release. The elevation of the berries means less fumigation between planting cycles. And hydroponically grown strawberries receive just the right amount of nutrition straight to the roots, requiring dramatically less water than their field-grown counterparts, the release said.
“Berry consumption continues to rise, outpacing the growth of other fruit items,” Oppy vice president of categories and strategy Jason Fung said in the release. “While we’re very encouraged to see this, macro-level trends facing the industry, like land availability, labor, water, sustainability and beyond, continue to raise challenges. We seek to do better, and this new way of growing is really going to change things — we believe it represents the future of strawberry growing.”
Another benefit to the hydroponic-growing system, Fung said in the release, is that the equipment and materials used in the production of each pound of Happy Berry strawberries amounts to a 20% decrease in plastic. That’s according to a recent study conducted by Salinas, Calif.-based consulting firm Measure to Improve, the release said.
Still, Fung acknowledged that shoppers may be hesitant at first to give these less-traditionally grown strawberries a try.
“Even with all the benefits of hydroponic strawberries, we know it can be difficult to introduce something new that consumers aren’t typically familiar with,” he said in the release. “Trust goes a long way to motivate a purchase decision, which is why the licensing of Ocean Spray’s logo helps encourage consumers to pick up a new item. Happy Berry was the perfect fit for this pack, building a memorable, positive and inviting brand around Ocean Spray’s already established positioning.”
In recent consumer testing, the Happy Berry brand also scored well in areas such as quality, taste and sustainability, among others, according to the release.
New Wave Berry LCC is a joint venture formed by Oppy, agricultural investment firm Farmers Gate and family-owned agribusiness Red Dog Management. Owned by Greg and Donna France, Red Dog is growing the Happy Berry crop in a newly constructed high tunnel facility in Santa Maria, Calif. But the company has also worked with Oppy for several years on bringing field-grown berries to the market, the release said.
“It’s been a really exciting project to get off the ground,” Red Dog said in the release, noting that there’s been a lot of interest from area farmworkers to be a part of the new Happy Berry line, given the less arduous labor the work on the chest-level tables will require. “We’ve had great support from our team and from the industry. We’re thrilled to be working with Oppy to differentiate a mature category and add value for customers and consumers.”
The gold label appearing on each Happy Berry package will feature the recognized Ocean Spray brand, under trademark license from Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc., as well as the Happy Berry label, hydroponic call-outs and a QR code directing consumers to a link with more details on the growing method, the release said. Happy Berry is available at select stores throughout the U.S., Van Lissum said.
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