Oishii's Nikko Berry Makes Vertical Farming Deliciously Scalable

Nikko Berry aims to scale indoor agriculture with Al-driven production and wider retail reach

21 Apr 2025

Vertical farming has long promised fresher food grown closer to shoppers. It has also long struggled with cost. Oishii, a New Jersey-based firm, hopes its newest strawberry will change that.

The Nikko Berry, priced at $7.99 for a 10-ounce tray, is both larger and cheaper than Oishii's earlier offerings. It is now sold in Whole Foods across 13 states and online. The fruit, bred specifically for stacked indoor farms, ripens faster and yields more per plant than conventional varieties.

Technology does much of the work. Climate and lighting are controlled by artificial intelligence, reducing waste while ensuring pesticide-free produce. "This isn't just about affordability, it's about evolving the model," explains Hiroki Koga, Oishii's boss. The company's aim is to match genetics with engineering, marrying flavour with scale.

The timing matters. Rising energy costs and waning investor patience have put vertical farms under pressure. Many operations have struggled to stay afloat. Oishii's gamble is that higher efficiency will square the economics without lowering standards.

Consumers, however, must still weigh a premium strawberry against far cheaper field-grown ones.

For those willing to pay, consistency and safety may prove persuasive. Locally grown and residue-free fruit could justify the cost in urban markets. If enough shoppers agree, the Nikko Berry may become more than a supermarket novelty. It could show that vertical farming, long rich in hype and poor in profit, finally has a recipe worth scaling.