In 2021, Kingsville, Ontario-based DelFrescoPure completed its 25-acre expansion under lights, said Ray Mastronardi, the company’s vice president of sales. DelFrescoPure is using the new space to grow more than 30 varieties of tomatoes, including beefsteaks, on-the-vine and specialties.
“It’s allowed us to produce more tomatoes and thus help meet the increasing demand for delicious and sustainably made tomatoes,” Mastronardi said. Next on the expansion agenda for DelFrescoPure is more greenhouse strawberry acreage, he added. Since launching its YES!Berries strawberry program, reception has been excellent, Mastronardi said. Acreage has already expanded once, to 17 acres.
Having a large percentage of its greenhouses under lights gives DelFrescoPure an added advantage against Mother Nature’s whims, Mastronardi said. Heading into late winter, the company reported excellent quality and sizing on both tomatoes and strawberries.
In its conventional greenhouses, meanwhile, DelFrescoPure was busy planting cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers in January. “Weather permitting, we expect to pick a similar yield this March,” Mastronardi said. “And we only expect the demand to continue to increase as society continues to resume normal activities.”
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