Duncan Family Farms Will Distribute Organic Strawberries

Duncan Family Farms, a 100 percent organic grower of a wide selection of produce, is distributing organic strawberries to the market for the first time under its own label this winter.

Duncan Family Farms grows its strawberries in Goodyear, Ariz., and is the only organic commercial strawberry grower in Arizona, say company officials. Great strawberries start with high quality soil, and the foundation of Duncan Family Farms’ agronomic practice is its composting program, which aids in building up the biodiversity of the soils and water retention. Local dairies, horse racing tracks, golf courses and municipalities bring their green waste to Duncan’s facilities to be turned into compost.

“After our strawberries went out under the Dole label last year, we noticed tremendous interest from our local customers. They loved the berries but really wanted to see a local brand on them, so that’s when we decided to move production to the Duncan Family Farms label,” says Patty Emmert, specialty crop manager at Duncan Family Farms.

Although the strawberry program is in its third year, it’s the first time the company will be distributing organically-grown strawberries under the Duncan Family Farms label. After a great test run in the first year of growing berries in the West Valley near Phoenix, the company ramped up their efforts in 2015 and are now ready to distribute under their own label for 2016 and into the future. 

“We’ve got a really unique product that’s perfect for the local market since we can pick our berries at the optimal harvest point and deliver them to the market with significantly reduced shipping times,” says Emmert. “It’s a great opportunity for all retail outlets within the Phoenix metropolitan area, and even the state of Arizona, to profile a local berry and take advantage of product that’s going to have superior flavor and shelf life.”

Duncan Family Farms plans to start harvesting the berries in mid to late December and expect harvest to last until either the end of March or beginning of April, depending on what the weather brings. The organic strawberries with the Duncan Family Farms label will be available in retail stores throughout Arizona.