Oishii Farm raises $24B yen in Series C first close to grow vertical farming empire
What's the deal? Oishii, a vertical farming company founded in 2016 and headquartered in New Jersey, announced the first close of a $150M Series C round, bringing its total funding to approximately $370M . The round was led by existing investor SPARX Asset Management and included participation from new strategic investors Nomura Real Estate, MISUMI Group, Asahi Kogyosha, Development Bank of Japan and Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. Additional financing support came from lenders including Mizuho Bank and MUFG Bank.
Why now? Oishii is entering a new phase of commercial scale. Its flagship "Mega Farm" has enabled the company to significantly reduce production costs and lower retail prices for its premium strawberries while expanding distribution across the United States and into Canada. At the same time, Oishii has strengthened its presence in Japan through the opening of its Open Innovation Center in Tokyo, which will serve as a hub for R&D and collaboration with industrial partners. The new funding will support additional production capacity, robotics integration, infrastructure development and the continued expansion of its technology platform in both the US and Japan.
What could go wrong? Vertical farming remains one of the most capital-intensive segments of agtech. The industry has seen multiple bankruptcies and restructurings as companies struggled to balance infrastructure costs, energy consumption and profitability. While Oishii has reported progress toward positive unit economics, scaling operations, maintaining margins and expanding internationally will require continued operational discipline. The company must also prove that its technology can support a broader range of products beyond premium strawberries.
The signal: Oishii’s Series C stands out as one of the largest indoor agriculture financings of the year and reflects continued investor confidence in controlled-environment farming despite broader sector challenges. The participation of major Japanese financial and industrial groups highlights growing interest in combining agriculture, automation and advanced manufacturing. As Oishii expands beyond niche premium produce, investors will be watching whether it can translate technological leadership into a scalable and sustainable global business.
Read more: oishiifarm.co.jp
