WHATELY, Mass. – Nourse Farms, a North American berry plant propagator, announced an expansion that will position the business to accelerate its growth trajectory with a continued focus on innovation and quality. Nourse Farms has partnered with Solum Partners, an investment management firm focused on the food and agriculture industry, to expand and modernize its propagation footprint.
One of the early innovators in tray plant strawberry and long cane bramble propagation in North America, Nourse Farms plans to increase its focus on these products to support rapidly increasing interest and demand.
This expansion will include a modern tissue culture lab and a 7-acre greenhouse for foundation material in Whately, Massachusetts. Additionally, Nourse Farms has acquired a 15-acre greenhouse in North Carolina to expand operations. These facilities will amplify Nourse Farms’ commitment to innovation and will open in 2024.
Through this expansion, Nourse Farms remains firmly committed to its mission of delivering high-quality plants and exceptional customer service to meet the evolving needs of berry growers around the world. In doing so, it will leverage its many decades of expertise in the industry to remain the propagator of choice for growers looking for high-performing plants.
“Our top priority is to ensure that every plant grown by Nourse Farms continues to meet the highest standards of quality and performance,” said John Place, Nourse Farms CEO. “We understand how important it is for growers to be able to trust that high-quality, high-performing plants will be available where and when they need them. Our customers will receive the same remarkable plants and customer service they have come to expect from us over the many decades in business.”
“We believe that the future of berry production will demand more substrate-grown plants,” continued Place. “After spending the last several years developing our substrate production processes, we are excited to expand this area of the business and are confident that we will maintain the same level of trust with our valued customers.”
“I’m pleased to see the berry plant propagation business continuing to advance and evolve with the needs of berry growers,” said Tim Nourse, Nourse Farms Board Chair. “Berry growers around the world are facing unprecedented challenges and we are excited to support their adoption of more sustainable growing practices. I have been farming my entire life and the one constant is change. This is an exciting time for our team and for the industry!”
About Nourse Farms
For over 90 years, Nourse Farms has produced and sold premium quality small fruit plants to national and international commercial fruit growers, home gardeners, and resellers. Nourse Farms’ commitment to providing customers with virus-indexed, highly productive plants drives the organization to stay on the cutting edge of the latest developments in the industry. By identifying and testing new varieties and growing techniques, Nourse Farms stands behind its promise to deliver quality. What was once a strawberry nursery serving local growers has grown to be an internationally recognized soft fruit nursery selling strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry plants. For more information about Nourse Farms, visit NourseFarms.com.
