Wish Farms’ expansion of Michigan blueberry program underway

Plant City, Florida-based Wish Farms, the year-round berry marketer, is pleased to announce it has expanded its relationship with Michigan grower, Leduc Blueberries. The expansion marks a projected increase of about 30 percent over last year’s volume from the region.

“This five-year agreement is fantastic because we are now completely aligned. This deal speaks to our team’s continuing effort to work with exceptional grower-packers that adhere to our rigorous food safety standards, quality guidelines and core values,” said Teddy Koukoulis, Wish Farms’ Director of Blueberry Operations.

The Michigan season kicked off this July and will last through mid-September. Coming off record highs, more moderate temperatures are expected in the region this summer. Volume is projected to reach 2 million pounds, and Koukoulis is optimistic that number could flourish to 3 million over the next five years.
“We anticipate great blueberry growing weather for the region this season. The Duke, Blue Crop and Elliots varieties all look and taste excellent and fall in line with our company’s simple, yet impactful mission statement: To Provide the Best Tasting Berries,” said Koukoulis.

The Leduc family has been growing blueberries in Paw Paw, Michigan since 1955. When Roger and Jackie Leduc started their 20-acre farm, they had no idea it would blossom into the 400-acre operation it is today, complete with a popular retail store. Their son, Joe, is now the owner-operator: “We are excited to market 100% of our crop with Wish Farms. The fact that they are also a family-operated business is just icing on the cake for us. This is a great opportunity to continue growing together, hopefully for years to come.”

Wish Farms, founded in 1922 and third-generation owned, is a year-round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries growing both conventional and organic varieties. Nationally recognized for innovation, Wish Farms utilizes How’s My Picking?, a patented tool for traceability to ensure quality by tying consumer feedback to specific information from each day’s harvest. For more information, visit here.

Located in Paw Paw, Michigan, Leduc was established in 1955 after Roger and Jackie Leduc decided to pursue their dream of farming. The farm is now owned and operated by their son, Joe. The Leduc’s pride themselves on their ability to not only provide high quality fruit, but also doing what they can to support their community. A majority of the Leduc’s production is sold commercially, however an important part of the Leduc Farms experience is their retail store.

Joe’s wife, Chantal plays an integral role in making their retail store what it is today. During season you can visit their retail store and get fresh, hand-picked blueberries and strawberries as well as a variety of other products. For more information, visit here.