Red Sun Farms, Heritable Agriculture and CIV use AI to advance indoor-grown strawberries

Red Sun Farms, Heritable Agriculture, and Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti (CIV) have announced “significant progress” on the development of indoor-grown strawberries at the Vineland Research Station facility.

“This partnership combines CIV’s deep expertise in strawberry genetics and germplasm, Heritable Agriculture’s advanced AI-driven breeding models, and Red Sun Farms’ indoor growing excellence to revolutionize how premium strawberries are bred and grown,” states a press release. 

The process uses AI simulation to predict crop performance, streamlining breeding timelines and optimizing greenhouse efficiency. 

Eight retail partners have had early involvement in the project. These retailers represent more than 8000 North American store locations. 

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“By bringing retailers into the breeding process from the beginning stages, the project aligns real consumer insights and market needs with cutting-edge technology—ensuring the varieties developed are optimized not just for performance, but for taste, texture, and shopper appeal,” states the release. 

Last week, retail partners joined the research team at Vineland for a first look at more than 110 strawberry breeding lines currently in development. Through guided sensory evaluations, partners provided feedback to help shape the next phase of selection and innovation.

"At Vineland, we’re proud to be at the forefront of horticultural innovation by combining world-class research, advanced technology, and industry collaborations to deliver premium, sustainable strawberries to the consumer," said Ian Potter, president, CEO, Vineland Research. "It's been incredible to see this research come to life and be validated directly through customer feedback."