JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY – October 2024 – Today, vertical farming leader Oishii announced their Series B has officially closed at $150MM. Climate tech fund Resilience Reserve, co-founded by the Head of TED Chris Anderson and entrepreneur Rob Reid and Japanese venture firm Miyako Capital joined the round right before closing, alongside existing investors NTT, Bloom8, McWin Capital Partners, Mizuho Bank, the Japan Green Investment Corporation for Carbon Neutrality (JICN), Yaskawa Electric Corporation, and others.
Oishii announced their $134MM series B in February 2024, but continued interest from investors led the round to increase in capital, which will continue to propel Oishii’s unprecedented growth trajectory and allow the company to continue its rapid expansion into new markets. Oishii will also invest in R&D to further mainstream the practice of vertical farming.
The funding news coincides with Oishii’s official debut in Chicago, expanding its retail footprint and partnership with Whole Foods Market. Beginning today, Oishii’s flagship Koyo Berry will be on shelves across the greater Chicago area. Additionally, the berry – which is refreshingly sweet – will be featured on lauded Chicago menus at Michelin-starred restaurants Omakase Yume and Esme, as well as artisanal coffee shop Sawada Coffee.
This Fall will also mark the brand’s expansion into new retailers. Oishii’s always-in-season, pesticide-free, non-GMO produce will be carried by Harris Teeter locations across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, as well as in Wakefern brands in the Tri-State area later this year.
“We believe vertical farming is the ticket to a sweeter future, and this latest round of funding signals that others embrace our vision for a world where food is more accessible, better quality, and above all else, delicious,” said Hiroki Koga, CEO and Co-Founder of Oishii. “We’re honored to bring our berries to Chicagoans and Harris Teeter customers, not to mention welcome a roster of respected investors to the Oishii family.”
Oishii’s new market expansions come on the heels of the opening of the company’s largest, smartest and most energy-efficient farm to date. Spanning more than 237,000 square feet in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Amatelas Farm – the largest indoor vertical strawberry farm in the U.S – represents a new, more efficient paradigm for indoor agriculture. Primarily powered by solar power and with nearly 50 state-of-the-art robots, the facility, which opened in June 2024, has the capacity to 20x Oishii’s strawberry output.
“We’re excited to support the Oishii team, both for the deliciousness of their existing produce and even more importantly for the extraordinary model they’re pioneering, which enables agricultural innovation at breakneck pace,” said Chris Anderson, co-founder of Resilience Reserve.
You can watch Hiroki Koga’s newly released TED Talk, where he discusses the transformative power of vertical farming and its role in shaping a more sustainable future for global food systems, at https://www.ted.com/speakers/hiroki_koga.
About Oishii
Oishii (which means “delicious” in Japanese) is the innovative company behind the world’s largest indoor vertical strawberry farm. On a mission to transform the agriculture industry through the power of vertical farming, Oishii harmoniously marries nature with state-of-the-art technology to create the ideal elements—rain, air, heat, light, nourishment and natural bee pollination—for growing in-season produce all year round. Oishii’s beloved Omakase and Koyo Berries, and recently launched Rubi Tomato, are grown in pesticide-free vertical farms and proudly bear the Non-GMO Project Verified seal. Oishii was recognized as one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies” in 2022 and AgTech Breakthrough’s “Vertical Farming Company of the Year” in 2024. For more information, visit www.oishii.com.
