Plant City, FL – Wish Farms, a Plant City-based, international grower and year-round marketer of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and pineberries, announced its proprietary breeding company, Berry Sweet Research (BSR), is advancing quickly towards commercialization of new varieties. Entering its fourth year of rigorous seedling evaluation, BSR is setting new benchmarks in innovation, flavor, and performance in its mission of developing premium raspberry and blackberry varieties.
At the helm is Carlos Fear, a renowned plant breeder and horticulturalist with 35 years of industry experience. Fear, who spent much of his career at Driscoll’s, is the inventor or co-inventor on 35 patents spanning raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
“We are well on our way to breed and license superior proprietary genetics,” said Fear. “All of our efforts are driven by developing exceptional flavor through the understanding of chemistry, molecular genetics, germplasm, sensory analysis, and optimization of production practices.”
Research Background
BSR assesses 10,000 seedlings every year and advances approximately 100 elite selections for further evaluation across three strategic trial locations in California and Mexico. Selections are chosen based on exceptional yield, superior postharvest performance, and standout flavor criteria that reflect the evolving demands of growers, retailers and consumers.
Wish Farms Chief Operating Officer James Peterson noted, “Carlos and his team bring unique skill set, expertise, and vision to our genetic initiatives. The program’s momentum continues to build, as results from our 2025 raspberry test plots show outstanding promise.”
BSR is preparing to launch full tunnel pre-commercial trials by 2026, featuring two standout raspberry selections. It anticipates expanding pre-commercial trials to include two to four selections with growers, paving the way for the release of up to two top-performing varieties for commercial production in 2027.
BSR is committed to delivering varieties that not only meet the highest standards of quality and consistency but also empower growers with genetics that thrive in diverse environments.
To learn more, visit: www.wishfarms.com