Strawberry Deal Falters, Blueberries in the Pink at Wish Farms

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Strawberry deal falters, blueberries in the pink at Wish Farms

April 10, 2014

As is true for other producers in the Florida strawberry deal, Gary Wishnatzki, chief executive officer for Wish Farms, said the season was disappointing. “The strawberry season was not too good for many growers,” he told The Produce News. “Everyone was crying the blues.”

Wish Farms is located in the heart of strawberry country in Plant City, FL. In addition to strawberries, the company grows and markets seasonal mixed vegetables as well as blueberries.

Unseasonal weather played havoc with strawberries. Fall conditions were too warm. And a cold, wet January slowed down production. Wishnatzki said disease raised its ugly head in February. “The late season hasn’t been good either,” he went on to say, adding that there have been some quality issues with Florida berries.

“Markets haven’t been very good in March,” he noted.

It’s a night-and-day contrast with blueberries. Wishnatzki said the season is “just around the corner.” Production will begin in early April and continue through mid-May. “We will have good supplies soon,” he continued. “The crop looks really good in Florida. Growers will catch a break with a better [production] window this year. We’re pretty optimistic about the Florida deal.”

Wish Farms partners with blueberry growers in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and New Jersey, adding import volume as domestic production concludes. “This year, we’ve added a packingline for blueberries in Plant City,” he stated. The new facility will boost blueberry capacity and give Wish Farms greater product movement to the marketplace.

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Wish Farms primarily markets strawberries and blueberries under the “Misty the Garden Pixie” consumer brand.

This month, Wish Farms announced the launch of its first children’s book, written by Wishnatzki’s wife, Therese, to commemorate the birth of their first grandchild and expansion of the company’s legacy into the fifth generation. The book is illustrated by Joey Donovan. Wishnatzki said the book, which is colorfully illustrated, is designed to promote healthy eating among children and help them understand more fully how food is produced and supplied.

The book can be purchased by visiting www.wishfarms.com/misty.

Wish Farms has actively cultivated its online presence on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

“We’ve hit a 50,000 fan base,” Wishnatzki commented. “Our fan base continues to grow.”

The company’s website contains extensive offerings of recipes, grower profile videos and the Pixie Post blog.