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Novafruit partners with Les Entreprises Pitre to expand production capacity
New collaboration will integrate new techniques for small fruit cultivation
January 23, 2025
By Greenhouse Canada
The new collaboration will help quadruple its production capacity, providing over 50 new jobs. (Novafruit) Novafruit has announced a new partnership with berry producers, Les Entreprises Pitre, one of Canada’s largest berry producers, to expand its production capacity.
In a recent release, the Quebec-based nursery, specialized in the propagation of strawberry plants, revealed that the new collaboration will help quadruple its production capacity, providing over 50 new jobs.
The new partnership with Les Entreprises Pitre, will focus on developing a new site dedicated to the soilless cultivation of strawberry, raspberry and blackberry plants.
The development plan aligns with Novafruit’s goal to increase opportunities for advancing genetics through international hybridization programs. The new site will also focus on integrating new production techniques suited to soilless and sheltered cultivation.
“Novafruit’s goal has always been to lead the small fruit industry in adopting innovative production systems by offering producers a combination of new plant types and varieties,” said Simon Parent, founder and president, in the release.
“This collaboration consolidates the achievement of this goal and will position Novafruit as a world-class company.”
The new site, located in the Upper Laurentians, will complement existing facilities. Located in a remote forested area, the nursery is isolated from other fruit production sites to reduce potential contamination sources and the presence of pathogens.
The infrastructure will be utilizing the northern conditions cold climate and high altitude and latitude to help improve the floral initiation and plant vigor.
“The fruit industry is undergoing profound transformation and will be called upon to evolve from in-ground cultivation to soilless cultivation to meet current challenges,” said Michel Pitre, president of Les Entreprises Pitre, in the release.
“We are convinced that more and more farmers will integrate this method into their business models, as has happened in Europe over the past 25 years. We are combining our expertise, networks, knowledge, and the strengths of our teams to advance the industry towards more resilient agriculture.”
More information can be found here.