The startup operates indoor vertical farms utilizing controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to cultivate strawberries year-round, free from chemical residues. This method mitigates the challenges of seasonality, adverse weather, pests, and diseases, ensuring consistent access to fresh strawberries at local retail outlets.
Funding
$9.5M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Traditional strawberry farming is subject to seasonal limitations, weather-related disruptions, and the need for chemical treatments to combat pests and diseases, resulting in inconsistent supply and potential chemical residues. This can lead to higher prices and reduced availability of fresh, locally grown strawberries for consumers.
Solution
26 Seasons utilizes indoor vertical farming with controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to cultivate strawberries year-round, independent of external weather conditions and without the use of chemical sprays. This approach ensures a consistent supply of fresh, locally grown strawberries to the North Island market by employing hydroponic growing systems, recycling approximately 90% of the water used, and using natural pollination methods. The company focuses on sustainable farming practices to minimize environmental impact, reduce food miles, and provide consumers with high-quality, nutritious strawberries regardless of the season.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes consumers in the North Island seeking locally grown, fresh strawberries year-round, as well as retail outlets, foodservice providers, and wholesale distributors looking for a consistent and sustainable supply of strawberries.
Features
- Year-round strawberry cultivation using indoor vertical farming techniques
- Hydroponic growing system eliminating the need for soil, preventing soil erosion and nutrient leaching
- Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to mitigate the impact of weather and seasonality
- Integrated pest management using natural predators, minimizing the need for non-organic sprays
- Water recycling system that reuses approximately 90% of water
- Natural pollination methods
- Recyclable packaging