Key Takeaways

• Vertical farming company Oishii has acquired Tortuga AgTech’s key intellectual property and assets, enhancing its robotics capabilities for harvesting.
• Tortuga’s advanced robotics, including AI and custom hardware, are expected to reduce strawberry harvesting costs by 50% while integrating seamlessly with Oishii’s existing infrastructure.
• The acquisition aims to drive innovation in vertical farming and responds to the current challenges faced by the agritech sector.

Oishii Acquires Tortuga AgTech’s Robotics Technology

Oishii, a leader in vertical farming specializing in premium fruits, has purchased the key intellectual property and assets of Tortuga AgTech, a robotics startup recognized for its automated harvesting solutions. Financial details of this transaction have not been disclosed.

Headquartered in Colorado, Tortuga AgTech has developed a fleet of robots designed to harvest strawberries, table grapes, and berries, while also performing data collection and plant maintenance tasks like UV-C treatment. Oishii cofounder and COO Brendan Somerville commented on the acquisition, highlighting the company’s commitment to agricultural innovation and improved infrastructure.

The partnership between Oishii and Tortuga began last fall, and it was through this collaboration that both parties recognized the potential for mutual benefit. Eric Adamson, CEO of Tortuga, noted that with the decline in agritech venture capital, the alignment with Oishii appeared as the most promising opportunity.

Oishii has been innovating its in-house automation capabilities since its inception, and this acquisition is expected to boost those efforts. Oishii currently employs about 50 robots to assess the ripeness of strawberries at its main facility, Amatelas Farm. The integration of Tortuga’s technology will enhance their robotic systems, developed in collaboration with Yaskawa Robotics, enabling more efficient and cost-effective harvesting methods.

Tortuga AgTech’s fleet consists of around 150 robots with a primary focus on strawberry harvesting. Oishii plans to incorporate Tortuga’s advanced robotics technologies, which encompass AI models and custom hardware, into its own robotic systems. This integration promises to enhance efficiency, potentially allowing the robots to outperform human workers in strawberry picking while halving the cost of harvest operations. Automation in agriculture has faced significant engineering challenges, making this development notable.

The acquisition not only strengthens Oishii’s technology but also integrates much of Tortuga’s engineering team into Oishii’s operations. Somerville remarked that the expertise of Tortuga’s team would significantly contribute to ongoing innovations within Oishii.

Oishii remains one of the few vertical farming companies flourishing amid a wave of closures in the sector, highlighted by its successful $134 million fundraising round in 2024. The company has been gradually expanding its strawberry distribution across the United States, reaching cities such as Chicago and Texas.

Looking ahead, Adamson expressed optimism for the future, stating that Oishii’s strong vision and leadership position would provide Tortuga’s technology with the best opportunity for industry impact. The focus for the immediate future will be on integrating Tortuga’s technologies into Oishii’s existing framework, with hints of further advancements in robotic harvesting, though specific plans remain undisclosed. Adamson emphasized the importance of economic viability and the potential for accelerated growth through this strategic partnership.

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