In 2018, Oishii, a vertical strawberry farm in Kearny, N.J. that depends on both bees and artificial intelligence, introduced New Yorkers to the Omakase Berry. The fragrant Japanese variety became the darling of Michelin-star chefs and the patrons of tony Eli’s Market on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. At $50 for a box of eight, this was luxury branding at its best.
But Oishii CEO Hiroki Koga believes that everyone should have access to delicious, sustainably grown strawberries and other quality produce Now, he and his cofounder, COO Brendan Somerville, are on their way to achieving that goal.
Today, March 11, the New York-based company announced it has raised $50 million in a Series A round, bringing its total funding up to $55 million and positioning it for expansion into new crops and other metropolitan areas. The funding round was led by SPARX Group’s Mirai Creation Fund II. Other investors include Sony Innovation Fund, PKSHA Technology, and Social Starts.
