Just across the Canadian border south of Detroit sits what’s touted to be North America’s largest glassed-in strawberry patch. It's in the area known as the "Sun Parlour," in Kingsville, Ontario, which boasts one of the warmest climates in Canada — second only to British Columbia’s lower mainland.

That’s where Mucci Farms is growing what’s planned to be 36 acres of high-tech strawberry greenhouses.

The phase 1 and 2 expansions involving 24 acres are already in production. Phase 3, construction of another 12 acres, is underway with production expected to begin next fall. The full project will commit more than 1.5 million square feet of high-tech glass exclusively to growing strawberries, according to CEO Bert Mucci. Since partnering with Dutch growers Ton Bastiaansen and Joost van Oers in January of 2016, Mucci Farms has been on an expansion tear — including a new Ohio-based facility.

What’s under glass
Phase 3 of the Kingsville expansion includes state-of-art grow light technology, which allows the farm to offer locally grown strawberries during winter months. It’s a technology they’re well experienced with.

Mucci Farms operates 220 acres of greenhouses, 30 of which employ grow lights to produce lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers year-round. “That technology will allow us to offer locally grown strawberries in December, January and February,” says Mucci.

“The newest 24 acres of strawberries will also use diffused glass, reducing plant stress by providing even sunlight,” he adds. “We’ll continue to use high-pressure fogging systems to cool down the greenhouse in the hotter months. We’ll also install swing gutter systems, allowing for maximum plants per square meter.”

Smart ‘Smucci’ marketing
Marketed under the Smuccies Sweet Strawberries trademark, Mucci Farms strawberries have received numerous industry marketing awards: Best new fruit, best packaging, best "kid-centric" product. The latest came during the recent Product Marketing Association's Fresh Summit Conference & Expo in New Orleans. Smuccies Layered Strawberry & Mango Dip won the Kids Choice Award.

Enthusiasm for product marketing innovation has generated interest and enthusiasm from current and potential retail partners, according to the company. “That’s because of our emphasis on premium flavor and consistent supply,” says Danny Mucci, vice president of sales and marketing. Smuccies can be on store shelves within 24 hours of harvest.

LEADING THE PACK: When running in a marathon, it's often best to stay ahead of the pack, says CEO Bert Mucci. “In the competitive greenhouse industry, it’s absolutely critical.”

Staying ahead of the pack
This company touts its sustainability and environmental awareness. Mucci Farms burns waste wood pellets in a three-stage gasification system to generate heat and power for the greenhouses

All vegetables are grown in a substrate made out of Rockwool or coco pea slabs. At season’s end, the slabs go to a company that recycles them into household bricks.

Plant runoff water is also recycled — retrieved and channeled into holding tanks before going through a sand filtration system to trap organic materials. Then it’s disinfected with ultraviolet germicidal irradiation. UVGI effectively destroys algae and other microorganisms, which eliminates the need for chemical treatment. Finally, it’s stored in a clean holding tank, ready to be used again — substantially reducing water needs.

For a closer look, visit muccifarms.com.

Expansion into Ohio
In August, Mucci Farms confirmed it was starting a three-phase expansion project in Huron, Ohio. It plans to cover 60 acres with greenhouses equipped with season-extending grow lights, plus a 272,000-square-foot distribution warehouse to support its growing U.S. customer base. The company expects the first 24-acre greenhouse will be shipping produce as soon as March 2018.

Fined for import mislabeling
Like many grower, packer and shipper businesses, Mucci Farms has multiple business entities. In 2016, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency found Mucci Farms entities had “imported greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers packaged and labeled with misrepresented country of origin.” More than $1 million of produce, mostly from Mexico, had been marketed to various large retailers.

Mucci International Marketing Inc. was fined $575,000. Mucci Pac Ltd. was fined $625,000. The two corporate entities pleaded guilty to a total of six regulatory charges. Danny Mucci and Joe Spano, co-vice presidents of sales and marketing, were each fined $150,000. Five other related charges against the two were withdrawn after they pleaded guilty.