Driscoll's berries

The top-selling berry consumer brand, Driscoll’s, has announced plans to build the first indoor vertical strawberry farm. In partnership with Plenty Unlimited Inc, the berry juggernaut plans the groundbreaking farm to serve customers in the Northeastern U.S.

“The Northeast is the largest berry consumption region in the U.S., with a dense population of berry-loving customers,” said Arama Kukutai, CEO at Plenty. “We’ve successfully leveraged the expertise of the world’s largest strawberry breeding program with Plenty’s controlled growing environment, maximizing the flavor of each berry and optimizing for both texture and size.” 

The initiative uses proprietary genetics and berry expertise plus data analytics, machine learning and customized lighting to deliver yields 150-350 times greater per acre than the field.

As part of the partnership, Driscoll’s strawberries were initially grown in Plenty’s Laramie, Wyoming, farm, the largest indoor plant science facility of its kind. Plenty is currently building the world’s highest-output vertical, indoor farm in Compton, California.

Need ideas for using strawberries in your cooking? Try our recipes for strawberry almond crumble bars or strawberry caprese canapés with strawberry-basil jam.