Wishnatzki Farms, founded in 1922, continues to find innovative ways to boost its presence in the Florida produce industry.

Wishnatzki Farms has a track record of being “ahead of the curve,” President Gary Wishnatzki (pictured) says. In the '80s, it was one of the first produce companies in Florida to become computerized. It has continually updated its proprietary system to boost its efficiency, internal communication and to keep its customers informed about truck loads, he notes, and the company continues to invest in new equipment.

Wishnatzki Farms recently purchased a new piece of harvest equipment that is one of the first of its kind in Florida, he says. It has already transformed the strawberry industry in California, he says. “In Oxnard, Calif., there has been quite a revolution in harvest machines for strawberries,” Wishnatzki states.

Ed Colby invented the machine, and produces and sells them in Oxnard. The machines don't harvest the fruit, but assist workers with a large conveyor spanning 20 rows, saving walking time and labor, Wishnatzki says. “We are projecting we may require about 33 to 50 percent less of a labor force because of these machines,” he notes. “It gives us the ability to pay our pickers a little better, too. It should be a win-win for labor as well as us. [Labor] hasn't been a large problem up until now, but with immigration concerns, there could be an impending labor shortage in farming and other industries.”

The company will start using its first machine in December. “This one machine will be able to handle about 25 acres of berries,” he says. “Our company-owned farm grows about 300 acres of the 900 acres of strawberries they handle, so we need about 12. We will ramp up several more right away, if we get the results we are expecting. Each machine is a little over a $100,000 investment. We expect about a three-year payback on that. It's an investment, but we are motivated not only by labor savings but also the need to have less of a labor force.”

Fruitful Business
The bulk of Wishnatzki Farms' business is strawberries. The company ships more than 2 million packages annually. It also sells blueberries and various melons, as well as bell peppers, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, hot peppers and different types of tomatoes. In addition to its own farm's products, it sells products on behalf of approximately 100 independent growers.

He says the company's independent growers are also innovative with unique methods for boosting quality. For example, Simmons Farms, owned by Billy Simmons and his son, Shad Simmons, set out to improve harvest quality by having the same picker pick the same row all the time. Simmons Farms Crew Leader Tony Chavez came up with the idea. Simmons Farms has a small group of replacement pickers to compensate for fluctuations in its work force and attendance, but found that the new system actually improved attendance, as well as quality, “because the picker didn't want somebody else picking their row,” Wishnatzki explains. “They knew if that row was not picked right, with fruit left on the plant, they'd have to work harder the next time through.”

Wishnatzki Farms' company-owned farm has a different, unique way to control quality. It labels containers with the picker's name. “There is accountability all through the system, in the field or packing shed,” Wishnatzki says. In 2003, Wishnatzki Farms hired a consulting firm to help implement systems throughout its operations that reward employees with pay for performance, giving another boost to its quality and efficiency, he notes. “Managers are rewarded for controlling labor costs,” he says. “Our supervisors, shipping and receiving ” all those managers have programs in place and are rewarded for controlling costs or whatever it is we are trying to accomplish. Salespeople are all motivated through different programs.”

Sales Focus
Wishnatzki Farms has also developed a targeted approach with sales with the help of the consultants. “One of the programs was to gear their sales toward our better customers,” he says. “Because there are times when it's easy to sell out of product and easy to oversell the product, and the market can be either tight or loose, sometimes all you have to do is pick up the phone and you are sold out. Other times, you have to beat the bushes.”

Because of these occasional lows, it makes sense to reward loyal customers by putting them first when supplies are limited, he explains. The company's large customer base, particularly for strawberries, helps it sell product in the last weeks of the season, he says. It also diverts some of its strawberries into processing toward the end of the season rather than selling to the wholesale market in times of low prices. “It's beneficial for our growers,” he says. “The last weeks of the season can make the difference between a winning or losing season or good vs. great season.”

About a year ago, the company formed an alliance with Colorful Harvest, based in Monterey, Calif., and is the exclusive sublicensee for the Green Giant label in Florida for fresh berries. “While our label in Florida is recognizable for consumers, this is a national brand that was one of the top three icons of the 20th century,” Wishnatzki says. “It has been a good relationship [with Colorful Harvest]. The customer base of Colorful Harvest and Wishnatzki Farms has very little overlap.”

Wishnatzki is also getting into organic strawberries. He is the majority owner of Clear Choice Green Houses. He says the Florida climate is more challenging than California for growing organic strawberries, but his partner, Allen Willford, has developed a unique growing system that is being reviewed for a patent. “I can't describe it in much detail,” he says. “It's a trade secret.”

Passing Test of Time
Wishnatzki's grandfather, Russian immigrant Harris Wishnatzki, “was one of the pioneers of the strawberry industry on the marketing side,” he says. “From New York City, he came to Florida in the late '20s. Our company has been the longest established ongoing strawberry shipper in Florida by quite a few years.”

The company dates back to 1922, but has been in Florida since 1929. “There are growers that have been growing a long time that became shippers, but in our line of business we are the oldest established one,” Wishnatzki states. Wishnatzki has been with the company since 1974. Changing regulations, packaging needs and even hurricanes have kept the produce industry challenging, he admits. “The industry has gotten a lot more demanding ” I believe in a good way ” with different things like food safety,” Wishnatzki states.

Different packaging demands from different customers have created new challenges in recent decades, as well, he notes. Hurricanes are also a threat to business. “Fortunately, they haven't had any impact on strawberries,” he says. “For vegetables, we had damage in both '05 and '04. Some growers had disastrous seasons in southern Florida. Our area was spared the worst of the storm.”

However, in '04, the firm lost part of its roof at its main building. Luckily, only the dock area was affected, he says. “We were able to work around that,” he says. He says the company's employees have helped it prosper through challenges and market changes. “One of the keys to our continued success is the ability to develop and retain good employees,” he states.  USBR