Fresh From Florida plays a vital role in promoting Florida strawberries by providing a statewide multi-media marketing campaign. 

This includes TV commercials and radio spots airing now, as well as magazines, digital advertising, retail signage and sampling events. 

“We work closely with growers and retailers to ensure consistent branding and visibility during peak season,” said Susie McKinley, director of the division of marketing and development for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. “Our efforts help connect Florida strawberries with consumers in markets nationwide.”

This year’s strawberry crop is abundant, and Florida was first in market. Strawberry acreage in Florida is growing this year, and Florida has more than 15,000 acres of fresh strawberries in production, an increase of about 2,000 acres compared to last year. This continued growth reflects strong demand, favorable market conditions and consistent volume. 

Encore and Ember are two new varieties of Florida strawberries available this season that have proven to be more flavorful, offer a larger fruit size and have a better shelf life. 

“Consumers are increasingly seeking locally grown produce,” McKinley said. “Florida growers are responding by adding the Fresh From Florida logo to their packaging and participating in farmer-centric campaigns, including our Trust is Grown Here television commercial and Farmer Friday social media posts.”

Fresh From Florida partners with more than 100 retailers, including major chains such as Publix, Aldi, Southeastern Grocers and Sprouts. 

“We provide point-of-sale materials, signage and digital ads featuring recipes to highlight Florida strawberries,” McKinley said. “These partnerships ensure strong in-store presence and promotional alignment during peak harvest windows, driving consumer awareness and sales. Retailers also benefit from co-branded campaigns that connect shoppers to Florida-grown produce during the winter season.”

Florida’s strawberry season runs from December through April. This timing makes Florida the first major supplier of fresh strawberries in the U.S., creating a unique promotional opportunity during winter months when other regions cannot supply.

“To support the winter season and Valentine’s Day, peak times for strawberry consumption, targeted promotional efforts are in place,” McKinley said. “Valentine’s Day is one of the most important consumption periods for strawberries, and retailers should plan for strong merchandising and marketing support leading up to the holiday.”

Fresh From Florida has a robust online presence with more than 1.4 million followers.

“Our campaigns include engaging recipe content, seasonal promotions and storytelling initiatives like Farmer Friday and Meet Your Florida Farmer videos,” McKinley said. “We utilize recipe and shoppable ads to drive traffic to retailer sites. These efforts create a strong connection between consumers and the growers behind Florida strawberries.”

Television and radio ads will run throughout January and February, while digital recipe ads will span January through March, featuring Florida strawberries in seasonal dishes. Shoppable ads during this same period allow consumers to purchase strawberries online through their preferred retailer. 

“Promotions on Ibotta and ShopKick will run in January, offering monetary incentives to encourage in-store purchases of Florida strawberries,” McKinley said. “Instacart promotions will run through March 15, targeting online grocery shoppers, while print and shopping cart ads will provide in-store visibility during February and March.”

This season, Fresh From Florida is launching a comprehensive campaign that includes digital advertising, social media engagement, influencer partnerships and in-store promotions. Retail partners can align by featuring Florida strawberries in weekly circulars, digital ads and recipe content. 

“Retailers are invited to work together with Fresh From Florida on joint marketing efforts and use the marketing materials we provide to increase consumer interest,” McKinley said. “New Fresh From Florida television commercials are officially airing. These spots run January through June in all major Florida markets. We are proud to partner with Florida farmers to produce this beautiful campaign promoting Florida agriculture.”