With spring around the corner, greenhouse tomato production is ramping up. At Windset Farms®, crops in its Delta, British Columbia facility that were planted in early February will start production later this month.
Windset's Delta facility.
"The local season in Delta previously ran from March to November. However, with the new 24-acre expansion and renovations to our existing greenhouses, we'll be able to produce year-round in B.C. something we already do at our Santa Maria, California facility," says Ryan Cherry, Director of Sales. "The first planting of our newly renovated greenhouse, encompassing 48 acres of LED lit capacity, will be this summer." (This new facility means shoppers will be able to find Windset Farms B.C. grown tomatoes and cucumbers on their store shelves year round .)
In the new facility, the greenhouse grower is producing some of its most flavorful tomatoes, including CAMEO® Tri Colour Cherry on the Vine Tomatoes. Also out of the Delta facility will be the recently introduced YUM YUMS™ Cherry Tomatoes--a combination pack of orange and red super sweet, snacking tomatoes. "The pack is an exciting spin-off to the traditional Windset brand, so it's super fun and kid-friendly to go along with the amazing flavors," adds Cherry.
Year-round local supply
The new additions also allow the company to round out its year-round supply strategy not only for Canada but also for the Pacific Northwest and Asian markets. With its Delta and Santa Maria operations, alongside grower partner facilities in Mexico and British Columbia, Windset produces and markets more than 2,500 acres of production. "The greenhouse expansion in B.C. allows us to provide a closer supply to home for the western Canadian and U.S. regions, keeping freshness at the top of our minds and reducing food miles," Cherry says. "In addition, in California, we proudly hold the title of the largest single-site greenhouse facility in the U.S., producing high-quality goods year-round, thanks to the region's mild climate."
Also out of the Delta facility will be the recently introduced YUM YUMS Cherry Tomatoes.
With the expanded production, Cherry says it's committed to promoting Windset's products with retailers. "Whether through engaging social media campaigns, strategic merchandising opportunities, or interactive demos, we're dedicated to ensuring that we effectively communicate and embrace the benefits of sourcing locally from our greenhouses," he says, adding that it will leverage the popular Buy BC logo on its packaging to promote B.C.-grown produce within the province, and in California the CA Grown license plate.
Looking ahead, as the spring and summer months roll in, consumption of tomatoes is expected to remain steady. "We're looking forward to promoting our new YUM YUMS Cherry Tomatoes in stores and our B.C.-grown tomatoes when production starts this month," says Cherry.
For more information:
Randi Church
Windset Farms
Tel.: +1 (778) 908-1029
rchurch@windset.com
www.greenhousegrown.com