FSGA Recognizes the Wish Farms Owner with its Hall of Fame Award
Plant City based Wish Farms, is proud to announce that owner Gary Wishnatzki was awarded the Florida Strawberry Growers Association’s most prestigious honor, induction into the FSGA Hall of Fame. The yearly award is given to an individual or individuals who exhibit(s) a lifetime of devoted support to Florida strawberries.
“Gary has been a lifelong supporter of the Florida strawberry industry and an advocate pushing for progress in technology, innovation, and more sustainable practices,” said FSGA Executive Director, Kenneth Parker. “From push carts to robots, Gary has kept the culture of Wish Farms thriving by always having the company’s eye on the future. As one of the leading innovators and advocates for the industry, there is no question about his resume as a new inductee to the Hall of Fame.”
He got his start in the family produce business nearly fifty years ago, when it was known as Wishnatzki & Nathel. Since that time, he has been a strong voice for agriculture while pushing for innovation and creative marketing efforts. Under his leadership, Wish Farms became a year-round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and pineberries. With growing operations and partnerships across the United States, Canada and South America, the company has a 52-week supply of all five major berries, and ships fresh berries to major retail chains throughout the United States and Canada.
Gary also co-founded Harvest CROO Robotics, which is on a mission to solve farm labor challenges through automation. With more than 70% of the U.S. strawberry industry invested, Harvest CROO plans to build a fleet of robotic strawberry harvesters and reach commercialization in 2024.
Public Relations Manager, Nick Wishnatzki: “One thing Dad has always said to me is ‘if you’re not growing, you’re dying.’ He totally lives up to that mantra. He comes to work every day with a positive attitude, a fire to learn something new, and a desire to strive for greatness. Our family is so proud of this achievement and the legacy he has built and continues to build on.”
