Kearns Fruit Farm started growing strawberries in the mid-1950s for Chivers Jam. Since then, Kearns Fruit Farm has developed into one of the largest strawberry producing farms in Ireland. The Kearns Fruit farm smallholding uses a mix of polytunnels, glasshouses and Spanish tunnels – the latter are polytunnels supported on ‘stilts’ which allows fresh air and natural light to enter the tunnel from the base – to grow fruit of the highest quality.

The strawberry crop is made up of the Elsanta variety, sweet plump and juicy, with a small amount of Sonata which has a pleasant fresh taste. Raspberry varieties include Tullameen, Polka and Glenample. Chemicals are kept to a minimum in the pest control area, so natural biological methods mean less need for pesticides during the crucial times when crops are flowering and berries are being formed. Strawberries here are propagated mainly from the shoots and runners of the farm’s own plants, which means consistent quality at all times. All fruit is grown in peat too, which comes from the natural boglands in the County Meath region.

The dedication to quality is apparent in every step of production. At harvest, crops are handpicked to ensure the highest quality fruit reaches the shops.

Find their delicious fruit under the Sunny Wexford Strawberries brand in some independent retailers and under own-label brands in some supermarkets.