Vertical farming startup Oishii has introduced another strawberry cultivar, The Koyo Berry, which will join the brand’s Omakase Berry offering introduced in 2018.
The Koyo Berry is a Japanese varietal grown outside Tokyo during winter. The berries will be grown first in Oishii’s east coast vertical farms, which use advanced robotics and traditional Japanese farming methods to produce the fruit. The Koyo Berry will be available through online grocer FreshDirect in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut for $15 MSRP per tray. The product is expected to expand to other markets, including Los Angeles, later this year.
Oishii introduced its first strawberry, the Omakase Berry, in 2018. Oishii founder and CEO Hiroki Koga decided, when building out his vertical farm, to attempt to replicate the elements of a perfect day in Japan (e.g., humidity levels, light) inside a controlled-environment farm in the U.S. This allows the company to grow the Omakase – and now the Koyo – Berry 365 days per year.
The company operates three indoor vertical farms, two outside Manhattan and one in Los Angeles. Oishii recently opened Mugen Farm, a 74,000-square-foot facility that relies on advanced robotics combined with traditional Japanese farming methods. The company claims its newest farm uses 60% less energy and 40% less water than first-generation vertical farms.
Outwardly, Oishii appears to be doing just fine, contrasting with other vertical farms struggling financially. The company’s choice of pursuing unique, high-end produce, such as Japanese strawberry varietals that are not widely available in the U.S., looks to have been a smart strategic move. Oishii has gained lots of viral attention, and its Omakase strawberries are selling for as much as $50 for a box of 11 online. It’s also being sold in Whole Foods Market and other grocery stores at prices ranging from $6 to $20 MSRP depending on the tray size.
Now, with the debut of the Koyo, Oishii gives tastemakers another rare strawberry to pay top dollar for.
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