New World Thorndon will now be stocking strawberries year round thanks to a partnership with the local vertical farming company 26 Seasons. The summer fruit will be grown in a controlled indoor environment that can produce one million punnets per year.
"It's fantastic to have the option to access strawberries out of season. Being able to cater to customers' needs year-round is innovation at its finest," said Reese Drake, New World Thorndon Owner Operator.
26 Seasons' innovative vertical farming method removes external growing factors like the weather, seasonality, pests and disease. Rather than importing Strawberries during the cooler months, customers can enjoy locally grown fruit.
"Our vertically-farmed strawberries are juicy, sweet, pesticide-free and picked when ripe, smelling and tasting just as delicious in the middle of winter as they will do in the height of summer. We are experimenting with tweaks to our lighting system, allowing us to 'dial up' sweetness and colour," said Grant Leach, 26 Seasons CEO.
