Wish Farms Sees Rise in Organic Berry Interest

Wish Farms has seen continued growth in the organic berry category this year, extending the strong organic demand trend that occurred during the height of the pandemic.

“The longer-term trend of consumers moving toward organic produce persists, and those that have already adopted it are sticky and will continue to consume organic,” said Nick Wishnatzki, public relations manager for the company. “As the popularity of berries grows overall, organic will continue to be a bright spot.”

Nick Wishnatzki, Public Relations Manager, Wish Farms

An international year-round berry grower and shipper, Wish Farms is a fourth-generation, family operated company based in Plant City, Florida. The company supplies strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and Pink-A-Boo pineberries to retailers across North America.  

One area of growth for Wish Farms is its Georgia organic blueberry program.

“The longer-term trend of consumers moving toward organic produce persists, and those that have already adopted it are sticky and will continue to consume organic” - Nick Wishnatzki

“There is low domestic organic production outside of Georgia during [its season], so the harvest window from early April through May helps fill a void for Southeastern domestic blueberries,” Wishnatzki said. “Our grower partners there continue to offer new, great-tasting varieties in an ever-expanding category.”

The roots of Wish Farms date back to 1904, when on the streets of New York City, Ukrainian immigrant Harris Wishnatzki first sold his fruits and vegetables from a pushcart. In 1922, he established a wholesale operation at the famed Washington Market and later permanently relocated to Florida by the mid-1930s.

Wishnatzki family

“After Harris's passing, his sons Joe and Lester assumed leadership in 1955,” Wishnatzki said. “Joe’s son, Gary Wishnatzki, joined the company in 1974 and is the current CEO and ‘Head Pixie.’”

The organic segment is one that has steadily gained market share over the last couple of decades, and Wish Farms has been a big proponent of the evolution.

The roots of Wish Farms date back to 1904, when on the streets of New York City, Ukrainian immigrant Harris Wishnatzki first sold his fruits and vegetables from a pushcart.

“We saw a market void during the Florida season in the early 2000s,” Wishnatzki said. “We led the charge on growing organic strawberries at a commercial scale in Florida in 2004. There was heavy industry skepticism, namely due to the enormous disease and pest pressure crops face in Florida. While we struggled early on, we continued to get better and learn every season. Now we are one of the largest organic strawberry growers in the state, and the program continues to be a bright spot in our farming operation.”

Wish Farms organic berries

For organic blueberries, the company has diversified its supply chain, aligning with the highest-quality growers, 52 weeks a year.

“They range from Peru, the Southeast US, up to the Pacific Northwest,” Wishnatzki said. “These desirable regions allow us to work with retailers on promotable volumes throughout the year.”

“While we struggled early on, we continued to get better and learn every season. Now we are one of the largest organic strawberry growers in the state, and the program continues to be a bright spot in our farming operation.” - Nick Wishnatzki

There is no shortage of challenges in the fresh berry industry, and this year, the general challenge with organic production is that it carries higher risk.

“Yields are less, and your cost to grow is more than a conventional crop,” Wishnatzki said. “It also takes more time and effort because we constantly monitor the crop and anticipate what the plants will need—proactive as opposed to reactive management.”

Wish Farms organic strawberries

Additionally, with the increases in costs the last couple of years, organic farming inputs continue to be a burden, and packaging and labor across the board remain high. Wishnatzki noted there is also a potential for consumers to be more discerning with their already stretched-thin dollar, if the economy continues to slow.

“Shelf space availability is also another challenge,” he said. “The produce department has many different competitive offerings these days. Although the organic berry category has seen growth, it still fights for shelf space amongst conventional berries and other seasonal fruit.”

With the increases in costs the last couple of years, organic farming inputs continue to be a burden, and packaging and labor across the board remain high.

Wish Farms’ mission is to “provide the best tasting berries,” which plays a role in everything the company does.

“Our farms and the growers we work with must be aligned on growing only the best-tasting varieties,” Wishnatzki said. “‘Feel Good. Eat Berries. Make A Difference.’ is our brand promise that we try to live up to every day. It isn’t just a catchy phrase—giving back is ingrained in our company culture.”

Wish Farms' brand promise

For instance, since 2019, the Wish Farms Family Foundation has granted more than $600,000 to causes that address food insecurity, youth education, and community. In that same time period, Wish Farms donated close to a million pounds of berries to local food banks.

“‘Feel Good. Eat Berries. Make A Difference.’ is our brand promise that we try to live up to every day. It isn’t just a catchy phrase—giving back is ingrained in our company culture.” - Nick Wishnatzki

“We will always continue pushing the boundaries of expectations from consumers, customers, and ourselves,” Wishnatzki said.

Wish Farms has seen a lot of growth in the last five years, and it plans to continue searching for new growth opportunities in the years ahead.

“We added a new berry—Pink-A-Boo pineberries—plus added more acreage, new grower partners, new office and warehouse campus, and staff expansion,” Wishnatzki said. “We are still looking to grow in some key regions, but we want to do so in a responsible way. It is of utmost importance that we don’t sacrifice what makes Wish Farms great—maintaining transparent relationships with growers, giving high-quality service to our retail partners, and providing the best-tasting berries for consumers.”