North Bay Produce, a grower-owned cooperative with farms around the world, has experienced a prosperous 2023-24 season, adding acres and hectares of strawberry plants in Florida and Mexico.

In its December newsletter, the company announced they see “exceptional quality and sizing in both regions.”

Ryan Lockman in strawberry fields

Regarding weather conditions for 2024, Ryan Lockman, vice president  of sales, tells FreshFruitPortal, “Mexico has been feeling the effects of El Niño with cool wet weather however Florida looks to be normal to this point.”

North Bay strawberries’ main markets are the Eastern U.S. and Canada.

Blueberries 

North Bay is part of a select group of companies allowed to grow Sekoya blueberry varieties, and this season it started receiving jumbo blueberries from its Mexican growing regions. 

These berries can range in size from 0.7 inches to one inch and are known for their size, flavor, and texture. 

Jumbo- sized blueberries

“NBP will continue with increases in blueberry production this coming season, with most of the increase coming in Mexico.  Looking to the horizon Florida and Georgia are also a growth area for North Bay from a domestic production standpoint,” says Lockman.

Regarding jumbo-sized blueberries, Lockman says over 85% of Sekoya fruit will be jumbo-sized, and North Bay plans on increasing that production and sales. 

“Sekoya is going very well for North Bay, with continued plantings going in the ground- both high chill and no chill- we are working towards that 52-week supply globally,” he says.