With roots that go back more than 50 years, Plant City, FL-based Sweet Life Farms understands that what matters most to customers are quality and consistency. That sums up the company’s strawberry segment to a T.
“We currently have more than 600 acres of strawberries, and we have grown each year since the formation of Sweet Life Farms, and continue to look for opportunities to expand,” said Ronald Lovell, chief financial officer of Sweet Life Farms. “The secret to success is hard work, forward thinking and the cooperation of Mother Nature.”
In late 2018 rain caused some issues, specifically getting strawberries out of the field, unfortunately causing the farm to have to destroy over-ripened or soft fruit. However, it is currently picking the type of quality berry that consumers are looking for in Florida strawberries.
“Currently demand is strong and volume is down, keeping prices solid,” Lovell said. “Florida started with hot temperatures during planting season. Now we are seeing unusual weather patterns of heavier than normal amounts of rain every five to six days.”
In addition to rain, Lovell noted that labor has been a big challenge at the farm, especially closer to the season’s end. For that reason, Sweet Life Farms moved closer to 50 percent H2A labor, which has helped.
At the store level, Lovell said retailers could be doing a little more by calling attention to the fact that strawberries from Florida are in season, as many people enjoy those over berries from other places.
Additionally, as two-pound clamshells become more and more popular at store level — primarily because shoppers are looking for larger family packs to save money — the company has transitioned some of its packaging to this area.
“We think we have an attractive looking label for our clamshells that is appealing to the retail customer as we capitalize on this movement toward more two-pounders,” Lovell said.
Looking ahead to 2019, Sweet Life Farms is excited about more growth and is keeping its eye on opportunities for expansion.
“We want to continue to grow, and we will try new varieties to get a sweet-tasting and good-looking berry,” Lovell said.
