Wish Farms Highlights Berry Quality and Consumer Demand at the 2026 Florida Strawberry Festival
March 16, 2026 | 3 min to read
Plant City, FL – Plant City based, international grower and year-round marketer of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and pineberries, Wish Farms, is pleased to announce it concluded its high-visibility participation at the 96th Florida Strawberry Festival, using the 11‑day event to reinforce the quality of the 2026 Florida strawberry crop and the importance of direct consumer engagement for the industry.
Festival organizers announced that 573,299 guests visited the Plant City fairgrounds this year.
Now in its 15th year sponsoring the Florida Strawberry Festival soundstage, Wish Farms leveraged the platform to highlight its growers, workforce, and the people behind Florida strawberry production. Prior to each concert, the company aired a consumer appreciation video recognizing growers and staff.
The festival’s national draw allowed Wish Farms team members to engage in real‑time conversations about seasonality, varieties, and farming practices. “The berry quality this season has been exceptional,” said Nick Wishnatzki, Public Relations Director at Wish Farms. “There’s nothing more rewarding than watching someone’s face light up after taking that first bite. They associate that experience with our brand, and it creates an authentic connection. That’s the most meaningful validation we can have.”
The upgraded soundstage, now in its second year, delivered record‑setting exposure, with the Forrest Frank concert becoming the highest‑attended concert in Festival history. The increased scale and production value amplified Wish Farms’ visibility while reinforcing the Festival’s role as a showcase for Florida agriculture.
In addition to on‑site presence, Wish Farms activated daily marketing campaigns designed to connect grassroots engagement with digital growth. Interactive promotions encouraged festivalgoers to follow the brand on social media and join the Berry Lover email list, driving direct‑to‑consumer connection beyond the Festival grounds.
Pink-A-Boo® Pineberries were also sold and sampled throughout the event, introducing many consumers to the variety for the first time and highlighting ongoing innovation within the strawberry category.
For Wish Farms, the 2026 Festival once again served as a critical touchpoint to reinforce grower value, product quality, and consumer demand at the height of the Florida strawberry season.
About Wish Farms:
Feel Good. Eat Berries. Make A Difference.
Giving back is woven into the fabric of Wish Farms through the Wish Farms Family Foundation, which dedicates a portion of profits to its core pillars: Food Security, Youth Education, and Community.
Founded in 1922, Wish Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated business. As a year-round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and Pink-A-Boo® Pineberries, Wish Farms combines tradition with innovation. Its proprietary breeding program is at the forefront of flavor development and promises to deliver unique varieties that delight consumers, setting new standards in the industry.
To learn more, visit: www.wishfarms.com
About Berry Sweet Research:
Berry Sweet Research (BSR) is a cutting-edge breeding company, exclusively partnered with Wish Farms, focused on developing proprietary raspberry and blackberry varieties tailored for premium flavor, high yield, and strong postharvest performance. With trial sites in California and Mexico, BSR is shaping the future of berry production through innovation and collaboration.