Novafruit, a Quebec-based nursery specializing in the propagation of strawberry plants, announces the expansion of its activities through a new partnership with Les Entreprises Pitre, one of the largest berry producers in Canada. This collaboration will allow Novafruit to quadruple its production capacity by investing in the first phase of constructing a new site dedicated to the soilless cultivation of strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry plants, creating more than 50 new jobs.
This development plan will enable Novafruit to better serve its customers by deploying new genetics from international hybridization programs adapted to the realities of soilless and sheltered cultivation, while continuing to innovate and integrate advanced production techniques.
The brand-new site will be established in the Upper Laurentians, adding to the existing facilities. This nursery, incorporating the most modern technologies, will be located in a forested area characterized by its physical isolation from other fruit production sites, thus reducing potential contamination sources and the presence of pathogens. The location in a cold climate, at high latitude and altitude, will allow these new infrastructures to fully benefit from the advantages of northern conditions, improving floral initiation and plant vigor.
"Novafruit's goal has always been to lead the small fruit industry in adopting innovative production systems by offering producers a combination of new plant types and varieties," said Simon Parent, founder and president of Novafruit. "This collaboration consolidates the achievement of this goal and will position Novafruit as a world-class company."
"The fruit industry is undergoing profound transformation and will be called upon to evolve from in-ground cultivation to soilless cultivation to meet current challenges," said Michel Pitre, president of Les Entreprises Pitre. "We are convinced that more and more farmers will integrate this method into their business models, as has happened in Europe over the past 25 years. We are combining our expertise, networks, knowledge, and the strengths of our teams to advance the industry towards more resilient agriculture."
For more information:
Simon Parent
Novafruit
Tel: 1-450-578-3784
[email protected]
https://novafruit.ca