1904

At 19 years old, Harris Wishnatzki arrives in the United States from Kyiv, Ukraine. He gets to Ellis Island with the clothes on his back and little money in his pocket. With a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, he begins selling fruits and vegetables from a pushcart on the streets of New York.

1922

Harris’ operation grows to a fleet of pushcarts. He teams up with another pushcart peddler named Daniel Nathel. They establish Wishnatzki & Nathel, a wholesale business selling fruits and vegetables from the Washington Market in Lower Manhattan. At the time, it was the largest produce market in the country and the epicenter of an international agricultural supply chain from small farmers around the world to consumers all over the northeast.  

1929

Harris starts traveling to Florida in the winter time to be closer to production and the auction market. He is able to establish a buying and shipping operation in Plant City, while also escaping the harsh New York City winters. He falls in love with the area and by 1937, he makes Lakeland, FL his permanent home.

1936

Harris’ sons get involved. Joe (right) works for the company after high school in 1936. Lester (left) joins in 1939 after graduating from New York University.

1942

Brothers Joe & Ernest Wishnatzki serve in the US Army in Europe during World War II. 

1945

Ernest, the youngest son of Harris, is killed just days before the war’s end at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, May 1945.

1955

Harris Wishnatzki passes away, and the second generation of Wishnatzki’s, Joe and Lester, assume company leadership.

1974

Joe’s son, Gary Wishnatzki, begins working for the company at the peak of the great truck strike of 1974.

1987

Gary establishes G&D Farms to help supplement produce supply to the wholesale business. It is named for the company’s founders Gershon Harris Wishnatzki and Daniel Nathel. Today, the farm has expanded and is considered to be the largest contiguous strawberry farm in the United States.

1990

Gary Wishnatzki becomes president of Wishnatzki & Nathel, Inc.

The company adds blueberries to its portfolio and begins marketing domestic blueberries. 

2001

The Wishnatzki and Nathel families mutually agree to split the company. The Nathels would retain the New York wholesale business, while the Wishnatzkis would keep the Florida growing and shipping operation. The company is renamed Wishnatzki Farms.

2002

With the goal to develop a secondary market for strawberries, Gary Wishnatzki begins producing and selling processed strawberries helping farmers sell berries when the fresh market is not an option. 

2005

The company becomes the first grower in Florida to offer organic strawberries on a commercial scale.

2010

The company officially rebrands itself as Wish Farms, unveiling its new consumer brand and mascot, Misty the Garden Pixie.

2011

Wish Farms becomes the official soundstage sponsor of the Florida Strawberry Festival.

2013

Gary Wishnatzki establishes the startup Harvest CROO Robotics. The company aims to solve the global farm labor shortage through automation.

2014

Wish Farms makes the decision to focus solely on berries, and becomes a year-round supplier of strawberries and blueberries.

2016

Blackberries are welcomed as the newest addition to the Wish Farms family. Growing regions include California, Georgia, North Carolina and Mexico

2017

Raspberries are introduced to the Wish Farms lineup, making us an official provider of all four berries!

2019

Groundbreaking begins on the new state-of-the-art headquarters on Interstate 4 in Plant City.

2021

In March of 2021, we celebrated the grand opening of our brand new headquarters in Plant City, FL

Today

The company is an international grower, shipper and marketer based in Plant City, Florida. With the 4th generation fully involved in day to day operations, Wish Farms is a proud multi-generational family business.