Walmart and Mastronardi team up for year-round strawberries

Cold winters make it nearly impossible to grow strawberries out of season for much of North America, but Walmart has found a way to deliver strawberries year-round by working with Mastronardi Produce.

“We are excited to be launching Your Fresh Market greenhouse-grown strawberries exclusively at Walmart Canada,” said Kimberly Roberts, senior director, floral and produce, Walmart Canada. “This new strawberry greenhouse will enable us to offer a Canadian-grown strawberry all year long.”

Mastronardi Produce operates greenhouses in Kingsville, ON, including one specifically built for strawberries.

“We care about the environment and the good thing about growing in a greenhouse is we use about one-twentieth of the water and one-tenth of the land of field farming,” said Paul Mastronardi, president and CEO of Mastronardi Produce.

"There’s nothing sweeter than strawberry season," said Jon Rumley, manager of Walmart Canada corporate affairs. "That’s why strawberries are one of the most popular fruits in Canada with the average Canadian consuming around three kilograms annually.

Family-owned for over 70 years, Mastronardi has a history of innovation that allows it to produce flavorful tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and berries in a sustainable way.

“Working with local suppliers, our customers have told us that local is really, really important to them,” said Sam Wankowski, chief merchandising officer for Walmart Canada. “It means we can get that product quicker to the customer, which is going to mean less trucks on the road and, ultimately, a better product for customers.”