QUEBEC, CANADA - With a focus on building the farmworkers of the future with cutting-edge solutions strategically designed for modern agriculture, Sami Robotics is making it easier to harvest specialty crops while collecting valuable production data. As the company expands its solution into the Romaine lettuce sector, Teodora Toteva, Head of Operations, shared some of the goals behind this harvesting innovation.
How is Sami Robotics bringing the success it has seen in broccoli to the Romaine category?
“Broccoli has served as an important proving ground for our technology. Through commercial harvesting activities, field validation, and close collaboration with growers, we have demonstrated the platform's ability to operate in real production environments.
The transition into Romaine is a natural next step because many of the core technologies, including mobility, computer vision, robotics, and AI infrastructure, are already in place. The challenge becomes developing and refining crop-specific harvesting intelligence while leveraging the same underlying platform. Strong interest from major growers and shippers has reinforced our confidence in this direction.”
How does Sami Robotics turn every pass into useful data?
“Every time a Sami Robotics machine enters a field, it does two jobs simultaneously: harvesting and data collection. We often say that the harvest is only half the product.
Because the machine interacts directly with individual plants, it captures information that traditional scouting methods, drones, or satellite imagery may not capture with the same level of granularity. Each plant observed becomes another data point, which could be used to build a more complete picture of field conditions.
This information could be used to map crop readiness across the field, forecast what areas will be ready for harvest in the coming days, estimate future yields, and improve harvest planning and logistics. Growers could use these kinds of insights to make more informed decisions about labor allocation, harvesting schedules, and market commitments. The same vision and AI systems that identify harvest-ready crops can also detect visual indicators of plant health, including potential signs of disease, pest pressure, or other agronomic issues. Over time, this would create opportunities for earlier intervention and more proactive crop management.
The more acres the platform works, the smarter it becomes. Every pass contributes to a growing agricultural intelligence platform that aims to help growers move from reactive decision-making to data-driven field management. While the field analytics and insights feature is not expected to be commercially available before 2027, it remains an important part of our long-term vision.”
What other fresh produce categories is Sami Robotics currently exploring?
“Looking ahead, we see significant opportunities across the specialty crop sector. Crops such as Iceberg lettuce, and cauliflower face many of the same labor challenges that initially motivated our work in broccoli. Because our platform was designed to be adaptable, each new crop application can expand the value of the same machine already deployed in the field.
Our long-term vision extends beyond harvesting. We believe autonomous systems will eventually assist growers throughout the production cycle, creating a true robotic workforce that can support multiple operations across the season.”
What should growers know about Sami Robotics?
“One of the most important things to understand about Sami Robotics is that we are not simply building a harvesting machine; we are building an agricultural intelligence platform powered by robotics. Every acre harvested generates value twice: once through the crop itself and again through the data it produces.
We are also proud that our technology is being developed alongside growers in real-world conditions. Working directly with growers, shippers, and industry partners ensures that every improvement is tied to practical challenges faced in the field. This focus on real-world adoption has been a key reason for the progress we have achieved to date.
Ultimately, our mission is simple: help growers overcome labor constraints, increase operational predictability, and build a more resilient fresh produce supply chain through robotics, AI, and actionable field intelligence.”
As technology continues to pave the way for fresh produce advancements, ANUK will be here to report on the latest.
