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Vertical farming company Oishii has announced the first closing of a $150 million Series C financing round, supporting the scale of its indoor Smart Farm model as the company increases production.
Oishii’s Smart Farm platform integrates robotics, automation and advanced technology with traditional Japanese farming methods.
The company, founded in 2016 and headquartered in New Jersey, US, is focusing on accelerating its operations and expanding retail access to its pesticide-free, non-GMO strawberries, which are grown year-round and harvested at peak ripeness.
Its Series C round was led by Sparx Asset Management, with participation from Nomura Real Estate Development, Misumi, Mizuho Bank and others.
Despite the wider vertical farming sector’s slowed growth in recent years, Oishii’s funding success reflects confidence in the smart farming model as it differentiates itself through its modern, tech-led approach.
With the financing, Oishii plans to advance its robotics integration, expand farm infrastructure and develop new product formats while continuing to invest in R&D and innovation capabilities across the US and Japan. The company has raised a total of $370 million since its establishment.
Robotics and automation are central to Oishii’s approach to scaling strawberry production with enhanced consistency, precision and quality control. The company acquired Tortuga AgTech last year, and has since expanded its tech capabilities with additional harvesting robots and engineering expertise.
Earlier this year, Oishii also announced a partnership with Musumi, a global supplier of manufacturing and automation components, to support its production needs across the US and Japan.
Additionally, since launching the Omakase Berry at nearly $50 per tray in 2018, Oishii has expanded beyond its ultra-premium positioning – the company now offers the Koyo Berry and Nikko Berry, with new pack sizes and formats designed for more accessible daily purchasing and priced from $4.99 to $15. It has also entered the pantry staples category with the launch of its Premium Preserves line.
Introduced in 2025, the Nikko Berry has recently undergone a packaging refresh with the introduction of a new stay-fresh top-seal format, enhancing freshness and shelf life while reducing plastic usage by 80% compared to traditional clamshell packaging.
These milestones reflect a new phase of maturity for the company as it aims to reach more consumers and help define the vertical farming industry’s next wave.
Hiroki Koga, co-founder and CEO of Oishii, said: “When we chose strawberries, we knew we were selecting one of the hardest paths in indoor farming. They require precision at every stage, from pollination and harvesting to freshness and shelf life, and there were moments along the way where solving one challenge revealed the next one underneath it.”
“This funding marks a new phase for Oishii as we scale what we've built, with deeper confidence in the decisions we've made and the role we can play in bringing high-quality produce to more people.”
Shuhei Abe, president and CEO of investor Sparx Asset Management, commented: “Since our Series A investment in 2019, we have continuously supported Oishii Farm's growth”.
“One of the company's key strengths lies in its exceptional execution capability, which has enabled rapid technological advancement. As Oishii Farm enters a new phase with the establishment of its Open Innovation Center in Japan, we look forward to continuing to support its growth.”