2023 Winners

On June 7, 2023, R.E.A.CH. International held its annual Greenhouse Competitions including “The Hottest Tomato”,  “The Perfect Pepper”, “The Coolest Cucumber” and the “Best Berry” Competitions.  The awards ceremony was held at Kingsville Community Church on Friday, June 9^th and live streamed at greenhousecompetitions.com.  The winners received the coveted Greenhouse Competition ceramic cup trophies and, of course, the bragging rights as the best producers in North America. 

This is the 16^th year for these unique competitions that have been running since 2007 to celebrate Essex County as the largest greenhouse industry in North America. And the charity which runs the annual event uses the proceeds from the competition to sponsor over 40 children in Uganda, Africa, annually.  These sponsorships give the children and teens food, school supplies, medicine, and everything else they need to get an education and break the cycle of poverty.

“The new chef’s choice awards are exciting”, says President of R.E.A.CH. International, Art Barron. “Chef Henry Furtado went through all the entries and chose some produce to inspire some appetizers that were served at the awards ceremony. He chose 8 products that were each awarded Chef’s Choice certificates.”

The Greenhouse Competitions, presented in part by farm sponsors SUNSET® /Mastronardi Produce Ltd. and Nature Fresh Farms, started on Wednesday, June 7^th with 183 entries delivered to Kingsville Community Centre. Entries were numbered and sorted by volunteers and then evaluated by expert judges from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), grocery store produce managers, and Culinary Guild of Windsor Chefs. They will judged entries with a specialized list of criteria developed by our Head Judge, Shalin Khosla.

“We are always thrilled to bring home awards for our greenhouse grown produce, and when it comes from your hometown, it is an even bigger honour,” said Paul Mastronardi, President & CEO of Mastronardi Produce Ltd. “These are world-class competitions set in a region with deep roots in greenhouse growing. The Mastronardi family is proud to participate in the Leamington Greenhouse Competitions and support R.E.A.C.H. International, a worthy cause. We have our whole team to thank for their uncompromising dedication to quality and flavor.” 

“We are always excited to be a part of this event,” says Matt Quiring, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Nature Fresh Farms. “It’s an incredible opportunity for our industry to come together to support a great cause and elevate the greenhouse industry.” 

And the 2023 Winners in the Greenhouse Capital of North America are:

COOLEST CUCUMBER		Place	Score
English Cucumber
CE528	Nature Fresh Farms Organic Cucumbers	1st	888.9
CE960	Mucci Farms English Cucumbers	2nd	863.9
CE839	Topline Farms English Cukes	3rd	836.1
Mini Cucumber
CM213	Topline Farms Mini Cuke	1st	752.8
CM574	Nature Fresh Farms Mini Cucumbers	2nd	725
CM979	Nature Fresh Farms Organic Mini Cucumbers	3rd	680.6
Cocktail  Cucumber
CC121	Mucci Farms Cute Cucumbers	1st	680.6
CC684	Sunset Mastronardi One Sweet Cucumber	2nd	644.4
CC864	Mucci Farms Cute Cumber-poppers	3rd	625
PERFECT PEPPER		Place	Score
Red Bell Pepper
PR949	Sunset Mastronardi Red Bell	1st	873.3
PR902	Del Fresco Pure Sweet Rainbow Peppers	2nd	830
PR934	Mucci Farms Red Bell Pepper	3rd	766.7
Yellow Bell Pepper
PY342	Del Fresco Pure Sweet Rainbow Pepper	1st	840
PY214	Pure Flavor Yellow Bell	2nd	826.7
PY950	Sunset Mastronardi Yellow Bell	3rd	800
Orange Bell Pepper
PO909	Sunset Mastronardi Orange Bell	1st	790
PO861	Nature Fresh Farms Orange Pepper #2	2nd	736.7
PO900	Del Fresco Pure Sweet Rainbow Peppers	3rd	720
Speciality Mini Pepper
PM429	Nature Fresh Farms Red Seedless Mini Peppers	1st	870.1
PM343	Sunset Mastronardi Wild Wonders Mini Pepper Orange	2nd	840
PM452	Nature Fresh Farms Yellow Seedless Mini Sweet	3rd	830
Speciality Bell Pepper
PS928	Sunset Mastronardi Aloha Pepper	1st	736.7
PS154	Nature Fresh Farms Farms Green Pepper	2nd	646.7
Speciality Long Pepper
PL924	Mucci Farms Rustico	1st	806.7
PL457	Nature Fresh Farms Tropical Crunchinos	2nd	796.7
PL649	Sunset Mastronardi Wild Wonders Long Sweet Red	3rd	793.3
Hot Pepper
PH387	Mucci Farms Habanero Hot Shots-Orange	1st	863.3
PH606	Cielo Vista Farms Chili Peppers	2nd	860.6
PH888	Sunset Mastronardi Shazaam Shishito Peppers	3rd	721.2
CHEF’S CHOICE WINNERS
PR-927	Pure Flavor Red Bell
PM-452	Nature Fresh Yellow Seedless Mini Sweet
TM-366	Nature Fresh Farms Crimsons
TS-818	Sunset Mastronardi Black Pearl
CC-864	Mucci Farms Cute Cumber-poppers
CM-213	Nature Fresh Farms Mini Cucumbers
SS-362	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Dreamberry Strawberries
SB-618	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Angelberry Raspberry
BEST BERRY COMPETITION		Place	Score
Specialty Berry
SB840	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Moonberry Blackberry	1st	860
SB618	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Angelberry Raspberry	2nd	820
SB551	Sunset Mastronardi Berryworld XL Blueberries	3rd	770
Strawberry
SS784	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Pearberry Strawberry	1st	950
SS113	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Lolliberry Strawberry	2nd	883.3
SS862	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Dreamberry Strawberries	3rd	870
HOTTEST TOMATO COMPETITION		Place	Score
Beefsteak Tomato
TB727	Cielo Vista Farms Inc. Beefsteak Tomato	1st	710.3
TB563	Pure Flavor Beefsteak #1	2nd	710.2
TB276	Nature Fresh Farms Beefsteak #2	3rd	671.8
TOV Tomato
TV668	Mucci Farms Prova	1st	633.3
TV522	Sunset Mastronardi TOV #1	2nd	610.3
TV671	Nature Fresh Farms TOV	3rd	576.9
Roma
TR988	Nature Fresh Farms Roma	1st	643.6
TR972	Mucci Farms Roma	2nd	620.5
TR989	Pure Flavor Roma	3rd	592.3
Cocktail
TC757	Sunset Mastronardi Black Beauty	1st	800
TC609	Sunset Mastronardi Kumato	2nd	780
TC613	Sunset Mastronardi Campari	3rd	759
Speciality
TS644	Sunset Mastronardi R’Orange	1st	830.8
TS107	Sunset Mastronardi Valentino	2nd	830.7
TS144	Mucci Farms Cherto	3rd	828.2
Bitesize
TM709	Sunset Mastronardi Flaming Orange	1st	851.3
TM447	Red Sun Conventional Grapes	2nd	841
TM578	Sunset Mastronardi Mimi	3rd	838.5
OVERALL BEST IN COMPETITION		Place	Score
Best Cucumber
CE528	Nature Fresh Farms Organic Cucumbers	1st	888.9
Best Pepper
PR949	Sunset Mastronardi Red Bell	1st	873.3
Best Berry
SS784	Sunset Mastronardi WOW Pearberry Strawberry	1st	950
Best Tomato
TM709	Sunset Mastronardi Flaming Orange	1st	851.3

R.E.A.CH. International, the Canadian registered child-sponsorship charity, run completely by local volunteers, has been hosting an annual event that both celebrates our local Greenhouse Fame while sponsoring some of the poorest children and families in the world.  With no staff taking salaries, the charity is one of the very few that can guarantee that 100% of donated funds will be used for the intended purposes.