PLANT CITY, Fla. – Wishnatzki Farms, a Florida-based grower-shipper, has hired Darwin Reich as Director of California Operations. Reich will oversee Misty Ranch, the company’s joint venture with Berry Valley Farms in Salinas. He will also recruit independent growers in California who want to sell their crops through Wishnatzki’s marketing arm. And, he will look for opportunities for the company to own and operate acreage in California.
“Establishing operations in California and hiring Darwin to lead them shows our serious commitment to providing high-quality produce year-round,” said Gary Wishnatzki, president of Wishnatzki Farms. “Initially, the Berry Valley deal will give us about 120 acres of produce to sell, but Darwin’s operational expertise and understanding of the California growing industry should help us expand our California production well beyond that. We’d like to increase by 50 percent a year for the next few years,” Wishnatzki said.
“I’m looking forward to helping Wish Farms achieve its goals in California,” Reich said. “It’s no surprise that Florida’s most successful grower-shipper would come to California in order to extend production beyond Florida’s growing season. With California’s large growers offering year-round berries, it is a competitive necessity,” said Reich.
Reich was previously operations manager for NorCal Harvesting in Salinas. He can now be reached at darwin@wishfarms.com.
ABOUT WISHNATZKI FARMS
Wishnatzki Farms, the largest strawberry shipper/grower in Florida for over 50 years, is recognized nationally for quality and innovation. It represents more than 2,000 acres, and ships approximately 3.5 million flats of strawberries, 6 million pounds of blueberries and 1 million packages of vegetables a year. The company markets produce under the Wish Farms, Strawberry Joe and other labels. Wishnatzki Farms utilizes FreshQC® to ensure quality by tying consumer feedback to the harvest time, place and picker. Wishnatzki Farms is proud to continue its tradition of providing high quality produce since 1922.
Source: Wishnatzki Farms
