Blog Archives

So… what do the retailers and food service distributors think about vertical farming now?

Written by Kasey Snyder, Netled on February 12, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

At this interesting phase where the vertical farming industry currently stands, Netled took a deep dive into the retailers’ and food service distributors’ minds to find out their perspective and future plans regarding sourcing from vertical farms. The results look promising.  

For Indoor Agriculture, 2022 ended on a down note, providing much fodder for speculation on the well being of our industry. It was unsettling to those of us dedicated to improving the modern agriculture system and provided no clear direction on where to turn. Often market indicators can be found outside the narrow scope of a single business sector. We thought it wise to tune out the chorus of opinions from indoor agtech experts and gain perspective from other members of the fresh produce supply chain.

Netled partnered with Iowa State University CyBiz Lab to perform a deep dive on market interest in vertical farming from U.S. grocery retailers and food service distributors. How did they interpret the consolidation of CEA growers / suppliers in the last several months? What are their expectations for the market in the short term and the long term? What can their insights tell us about the need for indoor agriculture in the coming years?

In January 2023, a team of four student researchers from agriculture, finance and management disciplines at Iowa State completed U.S. market research on the CEA industry for lettuces and herbs. The CyBiz Lab is lead by Program Direct Mr. Alex Andrade with research and analysis work from Mr. John Imerman, Ms. Morgan Hawkins, Mr. James Chism and Mr. Ian Johnson. The research focused on buyers interest in sourcing vertical farm grown produce and the factors of greatest influence on that interest. The research also sought to understand the dynamic between lettuce and herb buyers and growers.

Reasons not to source from vertical farm depend on the region

Survey participants included category buyers, merchandisers, business development managers, and directors of fresh produce from the top ten US food service and retail distribution companies based on annual sales volume as well as the top fifty US grocery retailers based on regional market share. 42% percent of participants identified as having operations in the Mid-Atlantic states, 27% in New England, 27% in the Mid-west or South and 4% in the West.

Majority of the respondents had sourced from vertical farm grower suppliers in 2022.

All participants confirmed they currently source organic lettuce and herbs, however only 57% are currently sourcing lettuces from CEA growers and 43% are currently sourcing herbs from CEA growers. 67% had sourced from vertical farm grower suppliers in the last year while 33% had not looked into this sector at all.

As for reasons why this group had not sourced from vertical farms already, the answer seemed to depend on the region. For those in the southern most states, there was lack of demand for high quality product during the winter months and a disbelief that vertical farms could operate successfully in areas of high heat or humidity. To the north, it seemed that the growers were unable to meet the consistent supply of high quality product required. Others said that they were satisfied with seasonal products from local suppliers and did not yet have demand for local product in the colder months. There was also a group of respondents who were still researching options and had not determine which vertical farm company to partner with yet.

Nearly 70% of the group who had not sourced from vertical farms yet, said it was likely or somewhat likely that they would do it in the future.

It is also interesting to note that of the group who has not sourced from vertical farms yet, only 17% said it was somewhat unlikely that they would ever source from a vertical farm grower. Of those who are currently sourcing from vertical farms, 33% responded that they are extremely likely to expand sourcing from this sector in the future while the remaining 67% said they were somewhat likely. No respondents replied that they were undecided or not likely.

Of those who are currently sourcing from vertical farms, everyone was either somewhat or extremely likely to keep doing it in the future.

When asked the reasons why these buyers had sourced from vertical farms in the first place, most respondents listed concerns about supply from California, Arizona and Mexico as well as higher costs that they must pass along to their customers.
Consistency and reliability of supply are the key

Although there are concerns about the consistency and reliability of lettuce and herb supply from vertical farms, there is equal or greater concern about conventional supply for the same reasons. There may not be direct demand from end consumers for vertical farm grown produce yet, but there is hesitation on the part of the retailer and distributor in not offering these alternatives to their customers. It is reasonable to infer that there will be forgiveness in the supply chain as the vertical farm industry improves upon growing techniques and financial planning to ensure the success of their businesses. As one retailer noted, “it is now the responsibility of the grower and the retailers to successfully market vertical farm grown produce and educate the consumer on the benefits”.

At Netled, we interpret that as a sign of great things to come for our industry. We recognize the importance of building strong partnerships with our business customers and focusing efforts on promoting our industry and educating our end consumer. We are also confident in both our proprietary Vera® vertical farm technology and our farm management abilities. The data points we are monitoring at our two commercial scale farms in the Nordics as well as our demo farm in Canada continue to outperform expectations. This is on levels of energy consumption as well as quality of the product. We look forward to discussing our research findings and sharing information on our commercial scale Vera® vertical farm systems at Indoor Ag-Con and The NGA Show later this month. You’ll find Netled at the booth #517 and CEO Niko Kivioja speaking at the panel ‘Hardball: The State of the Vertical Farming Industry’ on Monday at 2:00pm.  

The Indoor Farmer Who’s Using Freight Farms to Increase Food Security for the Cayman Islands

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on February 12, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

In the Cayman Islands, Freight Farms and Primitive Greens are working to overturn the status quo of food supply.

With the Cayman Islands’ beauty comes a challenging food supply chain. The islands only produce about 1% of their own food, with the rest of the food they consume sourced from Jamaica, Honduras, and, largely, the United States. Relying on shipped produce results in precarious food security. To make matters worse, there are very few direct shipping lines from food-producing Caribbean islands to the Cayman Islands. With lengthy shipping routes, the fresh food that the Cayman Islands ultimately receives is no longer very fresh … and it’s also very pricey.

Enter Freight Farms’ vertical shipping container farms. Codi Whittaker, a young recent college grad, and business partner Kerry Lawrence purchased three container farms from Freight Farms to launch their business, Primitive Greens, with the goal of increasing the sustainability of life on the Cayman Islands.

A Lettuce Wall in Primitive Greens Freight Farm

The three Freight Farms allow Primitive Greens to defy the very things that make fresh food so scarce on the island: a lack of arable land, extreme weather which makes farming near-impossible, and those long shipping lines. Instead, Primitive Greens grows right near consumers, inside high-tech shipping containers right on Grand Cayman island. They work the container farms’ perfectly climate-controlled environment to their advantage to grow beautiful, coveted produce. This, they sell to grocery stores and restaurants on the island at a competitive price — offering island establishments and residents reasonably priced, long-lasting, quality produce.

To increase the sustainability of the business, Primitive Greens plans to install a solar and energy storage microgrid that will fuel the farms with 100% clean energy. Energy cost is up everywhere, and the Cayman Islands are not immune. Currently, Primitive Greens pays the equivalent of $0.40 USD per kilowatt hour of electricity — mostly from dirty diesel fuel offered by the local utility. (By comparison, the current average cost of energy in Los Angeles is about $0.26 USD per kilowatt hour.) The solar project, which features solar panels floating in the water of an old quarry, will not only make growing food more sustainable. It will also provide resiliency to the island, through power that is available 24/7 and independent of the electrical grid.

“We’re basically selling the community cheaper, healthier, more sustainable, locally grown food; we’re providing power for less than half the cost of diesel; we’re creating food security; we’re creating jobs; and we’re not clearing any land.” — Codi Whittaker, Co-Founder and Operator of Primitive Greens

Primitive Greens intends to send Freight Farms to each of the three Cayman Islands, to alleviate food security for the entire territory. Ultimately, they strive to be the providers of fresh produce for Cayman.

Primitive Greens was recently featured in a webinar hosted by Freight Farms on the potential for indoor farming in the Cayman Islands. Watch the conversation at https://www.freightfarms.com/visit-freight-farms/primitive-greens-live-webinar.

Freight Farms has seen incredible growth in the adoption of their technology in the Caribbean islands, many of which face challenges similar to the Cayman Islands’. From Turks and Caicos to the Bahamas, islanders are discovering the power of controlled environment agriculture to revolutionize food quality and access for themselves and their communities.

About Freight Farms:

Founded in 2012, Freight Farms debuted the first vertical hydroponic farm built inside an intermodal shipping container with the mission of democratizing and decentralizing the local production of fresh, healthy food. Since its inception, Freight Farms has refined its product offering to arrive at the Greenery™ S container farm. With global customers ranging from small business farmers to the corporate, hospitality, retail, education, and nonprofit sectors, Freight Farmers make up the largest network of connected farms in the world. AgTech Breakthrough named Freight Farms the 2022 “IoT Monitoring Solution of the Year” for its farmhand® IoT automation software.

To learn more, visit freightfarms.com or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or TikTok.

Physical Performance of Substrates – Kekkilä-BVB

Written by Kekkilä- BVB on February 12, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

Indoor Ag-Con 2023 Exhibitor & Sponsor Kekkilä-BVB discusses how the performance of substrates is one of the factors that determine the success of your cultivation. To get the best out of your leafy greens, it’s crucial to create an optimal environment for the plant’s roots to develop. Many factors work together to determine if a root zone is suitable. For example, we should take physical characteristics like pore size into account. However, factors like microbial activity within the substrate and buffers for pH and nutrients also play a big role in the happiness of your crop’s roots.

Take a look at the first article about the physical performance of soilless substrates on the website of their expert product brand BVB Substrates. Be sure to keep an eye on their website and LinkedIn page for follow-up articles in this series.

Fullei Fresh | How We Started in CEA Humbly with Sprouts

Written by Olivia Wong, CEO Fullei Fresh on February 5, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

As a kid and even into my college years, when asked what my parents do for a living, I would say, “we grow sprouts” and people would make a bewildered face and ask “Brussel sprouts?” I would proceed to say, “no, like bean sprouts, alfalfa, wheatgrass…” and I was met with indifference and a quick end to that conversation. Fast forward a couple of decades and overwhelmingly I am met with amazement and smiles. We must thank the trendiness of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), indoor farming, hydroponic farming, vertical farming, urban farming… take your pick of names and we fall under all of them.

What I find most humorous is that we have been doing it for generations and now is when it is being widely talked about. Sprouting is an ancient practice going back centuries in Asia and the Middle East. All sorts of legumes and other vegetables are sprouted for their digestibility and as a protein and fiber rich food source. Sprouts are the first few days of growth and therefore the origin of all vegetables. The same broccoli sprouts we grow can become full grown heads of broccoli.

How my father, Manny Wong, and I got started in CEA is that my grandfather grew bean sprouts for a few years back in the late 1930s-1940s. My father started commercially growing in 1978 and I joined the family business full time in 2010. Sprout farms have always been mom and pop or family businesses with tiny budgets and a lot of heart. We were forced to think outside the box and reconfigure equipment or experiment with processes because there were no CEA books to reference and few resources. Even 10 years ago, financial institutions and insurance companies denied our applications or quoted us high interest rates or premiums and asked for collateral because they did not understand CEA or thought it to be a risky investment.

Ingenuity plus modest (mostly self-funded) investments have resulted in our superior quality sprouts and our being recognized as industry leaders. It did not happen overnight. Little by little through the decades we added equipment to help with the growing process, harvesting and packing. The entire growing process (except for planting) is automated with watering systems, fans, lights and rotating machines. We monitor the temperature of the water, growing rooms, packing rooms, coolers, and delivery trucks. Water is purified in house with a 4-step system and PH is monitored. Air flow and humidity is taken into account. Wash tanks and centrifuges aid the harvesting process. We have packing machines, labelers, coders… Many of these have become standards for CEA in general, but that was not the case when we started implementing them, and especially not for the sprout industry.

I am truly amazed at the progress we have made by being creative and innovative without major outside investment (and not that we had much personally to invest either.) It took baby steps and really picking and choosing where to spend funds plus a lot of literal blood, sweat and tears. My father designed and built or modified a lot of the tools and equipment we use out of necessity since not much was out there for C.E.A. or it was too expensive. While it is wonderful that so many are willing to invest in CEA, it is also possible to start on a small scale. Yes, some equipment will be expensive and necessary, but you also do not need to buy all of it or get fancy. We are proof of that.

One of the most important keys to success in CEA is an understanding of plant growth. Having that as a basis will allow you to literally grow the business. That is not to say shun capital investors, but that understanding / knowledge coupled with a lot of heart will go a long way. Do not be disillusioned by thinking you will not succeed if you do not secure millions in funding. Money helps, but more important is knowledge, wise spending, creativity and a will to succeed. I welcome you to challenge yourself.

After 45 years of owning and operating a sprout farm, my father is passing his knowledge down through our consulting business. We invite you to reach out. For more information, visit www.letushelpyougrow.com and www.fulleifresh.com.

Growing Pains on the Way to a More Resilient Vertical Farming Industry

Written by David Nothmann , Unfold Chief Operating Officer on January 24, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

As we usher in the New Year, a reflection on the dynamic last few months in indoor farming news provides some insight for what to expect in 2023 and beyond. We’ve seen both contractions by organizations like Fifth Season, Kalera and Infarm reevaluating and restructuring under financial pressure, and expansion, with others like GoodLeaf, Crop One and Freight Farms securing additional funding and growing.

Some observers have suggested we’re in the “Trough of Disillusionment” (the third of five phases in the Gartner Hype Cycle) but we’re right where we should be in the development of a healthy new market. Some first movers are finding success and others are still trying to achieve operational efficiency — and in an industry based on unit economics and efficiency (particularly yield per kilowatt hour), it’s all about efficiency.

Vertical farm operations are equal parts ag and tech, and they require incredibly complex systems, including climate control, lighting, irrigation, automation and, most importantly, systems integration. That last one, systems integration, is the linchpin. It is no small task to bring together disparate technology in a cohesive and coherent way that increases productivity and reduces costs, yet “operational efficiency” is generally not highly valued by venture capital investors. Nonetheless, the most successful vertical farming organizations to date have been those closest to achieving “systemness” — a concept most often applied to the healthcare system but also applicable to modern agriculture (both traditional outdoor and controlled environment indoor). Systemness is the highest achievable state of a complex system, with interconnecting elements working together to operate in ways that go beyond the operation of its component parts. In other words, one plus one equals three.

Bowery , an innovation partner of Unfold, is an instructive example. They’ve developed their own “operating system” that harmonizes data from across their facilities and finely tunes growing conditions based on that data. The BoweryOS, as they call it, brings all their systems together under one umbrella and helps them achieve systemness. Some observers are skeptical of claims made about the development of new operating systems and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), but you can’t argue with success. Bowery has doubled their revenue for the second year in a row and is on track to double their number of farms in 2023. Their success demonstrates a high degree of operational efficiency through a data-driven approach.

Unfold 2023 Gold Sponsor Indoor Ag-Con — Unfold is an industry-leading seed and digital solutions company advancing the vertical farming industry.

But even when optimal efficiency is achieved, most vertically farmed products today still fill a premium niche, which is why strong marketing programs are key to communicating value to both consumers and investors. Singapore based vertical farming company Sustenir, another Unfold innovation partner, is such an example. Introducing the concept of “Superfoods for Supercities,” Sustenir continues to elevate the discussion around nutrient-dense produce and the role vertical farming can play in the health and wellness of consumers. With additional operations in Malaysia and Hong Kong, Sustenir utilizes social media to connect with consumers and promote their own brands. In addition to fresh leafy greens, they “upcycle” waste streams into other products, like their Spectacular Spinach Noodles. This focus on branding and consumer packaged goods mindset is not unique to Sustenir in the vertical farming space, but they lead the Asian market in their emphasis on nutrition and sustainability.

The exciting thing to watch for over the next few years will be the shift toward parity with outdoor growers — at least in the product categories most conducive to vertical farming. We’re going to see a gradual but significant reduction on the cost side, as operations become more efficient, more data is collected and used, and technology costs decline. The very technology that made vertical farming possible in the first place — climate control systems, irrigation systems, and especially LED lighting systems — has steadily fallen in cost and is continuing a downward trend even in the midst of global inflationary pressures. Do you recall when the traditional A-shape LED bulb was introduced at a cost of around $30? Now they’re $3-4 — a 10-fold drop. Here’s how United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) partner U4E describes the advancement: “Technologies for artificial lighting have made tremendous progress … from incandescent lamps, with a visible efficacy of about 10 lumen/watt, to compact fluorescent lighting with 50 lumen/watt, to the LED lamps as we know today of 110 lumen/watt to finally, this new LED breakthrough with incredible efficiency levels – 210 lumen/watt” (emphasis mine).

Even energy — the often-cited Achilles heel of vertical farming — will drop in cost over time as more renewables come online and farms become even more efficient in their energy use. Granted, the average retail price of electricity has risen over the past several years, which is why operators work so hard to secure a stable energy price. In the US, commercial electricity costs have risen roughly 7% from 2014 to 2021 according to Statista and remain on an upward trajectory, while industrial electricity has gone up about 2% over the same time frame. The increase is even higher in other places like Europe and Singapore. We believe co-location of large vertical farms with energy production will drive further efficiencies and cost reductions. This concept, advanced initially by Unfold CEO Sonia Lo, is captured in part in her interview by Greenhouse Grower, titled “Four Concentric Circles of Controlled-Environment Agriculture .” Keep in mind that these things are taking place in the context of an increasingly volatile climate that makes the predictability of indoor farming more and more attractive.

Just as important as reducing costs, we need to continue to boost vertical farming’s productivity. That’s where Unfold’s work comes in to play. We adamantly believe that productivity starts with better seeds, because even the most efficiently operated and technologically integrated vertical farm can’t afford to produce products from seeds that don’t perform optimally indoors. Our first step has been to screen existing seed libraries to identify the varieties most likely to succeed in indoor environments. With our exclusive license to Bayer genetics in lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, we have a world-class library from which to choose. Using this approach, we will launch a few new romaine varieties in 2023 based on seed lines showing promising traits for vertical farming. Initial tests indicate strong harvest yield numbers and highly consistent saleable yield.

Our second step is to use all the tools of modern breeding to develop novel varieties with the most desired traits. Most genetics for leafy greens thus far have been developed for open field environments, with traits that protect plants from diseases and pests, as well as certain environmental stresses. Unfold is focusing on traits critical for indoor production both from an agronomic and produce quality perspective. In addition to utilizing existing Bayer germplasm, Unfold can access the full Bayer pipeline of genetic diversity to develop novel products honed for indoor production. Finally, as we accumulate performance data across our selection and breeding pipelines, we’re building our AI and data analytics platform to produce new high-performing products for indoor farming customers more quickly.

Tasty Romaine Unfold — Tasty romaine lettuce grown from Unfold seeds

For all of these reasons, Unfold is as confident as ever in the long-term success of vertical farming. As the industry matures, some organizations will succeed and expand while others struggle, contract, restructure or even ultimately fail. Over time, the balance will shift, as companies demonstrating operational excellence will continue to grow and new players learn what works and what doesn’t. That’s the development of a healthy new market. You can see it in the fact that the vertical farming industry is expanding beyond leafy greens into strawberries, tomatoes, and other high value crops.

Vertical farming will always be a supplement and not a replacement for traditional agriculture, but with a global population recently surpassing 8 billion and showing no sign of slowing, it will become an ever more important one — particularly as climate change creates additional pressures on the global food supply. Protected from the ravages of flood, drought, and pests, and closer to the urban centers demanding more fresh, local food, the niche that vertical farming fills right now will only grow. The headwinds currently slowing the industry’s growth are not permanent. Energy prices will eventually stabilize as farms secure their own renewable sources while continuing to improve efficiency through peer learning and technological advancement.

So, let’s be clear-eyed and not disillusioned moving forward. The vertical farming industry is right where it should be. Let’s continue to work together to address some key market needs and add value to consumers.

Have a taste for more? Please visit our website at www.unfold.ag and follow us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Let’s seed the way forward, together.

Contacts:

David Nothmann, COO Unfold

pr@unfold.com

Kimberly Esterkin

Addo Investor Relations, unfold@addo.com

5 Questions With Plenty CEO Arama Kukutai

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 23, 2023. Posted in Blog.

Indoor Ag-Con is excited to welcome Plenty CEO Arama Kukutai to our keynote stage to give the opening morning address on Monday, February 27, 2023. Ahead of his keynote, we asked Arama about some of the company’s exciting developments; the challenges, trends and opportunities he sees for our industry; and what’s next for Plenty. Read more in this month’s CEO Q&A:

In September of 2022 Plenty announced plans to build the world’s largest indoor vertical farm campus near Richmond, VA. Can you share more details on this exciting project?

We’re building a first-of-its-kind campus of indoor vertical farms, which is significant for a few reasons. The structure of a cluster of farms on a shared site creates increased efficiencies as well as the opportunity to grow a wider variety of crops at scale on a single site. The Plenty Richmond Farm Campus has a potential annual production capacity of more than 20 million pounds of fresh produce. First up is our strawberry farm, which we broke ground on last fall and expect to deliver berries in market with our partner Driscoll’s in 2024.

Speaking of growth, can you also share any updates on your Compton, CA farm – including why you selected that location and how it fits into Plenty’s mission and growth strategy?

We want to be a part of building a food future where everyone has affordable access to fresh produce. The Plenty Compton Farm, which will be fully operational this year, is our first commercial farm, so it’s the culmination of nearly a decade of R&D and a major step forward in scaling our growing capabilities. We’re proud to be bringing agriculture back to Compton, and working with local retailers to increase affordable access to our produce for California and the western U.S.

In your opinion, what are the key challenges that the CEA/Vertical Farm industry must overcome?

Achieving scale, and scaling with positive unit economics, is the key challenge vertical farming has to overcome to be a permanent part of our food system. Energy consumption is also a challenge for our industry, so it’s important to prioritize energy efficiency as well as choose locations with access to cleaner energy sources.

As Co-Founder of Finistere Ventures, a venture firm dedicated to Agrifood investment, what trends or innovations in the industry are you most excited about?

There’s so much innovation happening to shape a new future for food that is more sustainable and equitable. The last decade saw more than $120 billion invested in innovation, now it’s time to demonstrate the commercial proof points. I’m most excited about the development of a hybrid agriconomy that brings together vertical farming, cultivation and fermentation to scale food production in ways that are better for the planet.

What’s next for Plenty?

Our focus for the immediate future is applying our technology and plant science R&D to commercial farms so we can scale our reach here in the U.S. and build our first international site. Beyond that, we’re continuing to expand our plant science innovation work to diversify the crops we have in market – strawberries are coming next, tomatoes and more are on the horizon. We are also going to announce new partnerships around financing the indoor asset class.

To learn more about Plenty, visit the website. And, make plans to join us for the 10th Anniversary Edition of Indoor Ag-Con, February 27-28, 2023 to hear Arama’s keynote address AND be part of the largest vertical farming & controlled environment agriculture gathering in the USA! Learn more.

The Future Of CEA Is Our Shared Responsibility

Written by Rick Vanzura , CEO, Freight Farms on January 22, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

People work and harvest in Freight Farms’ container farm, the Greenery™ S

Hi, I’m Rick Vanzura, CEO of Freight Farms. Our vision is a world in which resilient and self-sufficient communities grow through local food and sustainable food systems, which we strive to make a reality through our indoor farming technology. We build our hydroponic farms inside 40’ x 8’ shipping containers that are precisely controlled and climate independent. Each container farm enables farmers to produce 2+ acres of fresh, hyper-local food annually, no matter where in the world they put the farm. This distributed model is central to Freight Farms’ mission. As part of a decentralized network, Freight Farmers — who make up the largest IoT-connected network of commercial farms — have access to the knowledge and support of other growers from around the world via our farmhand® software. This includes hundreds of for-profit, educational, and nonprofit farmers.

A container farm in transit to the Bahamas, where it is being put to work growing produce for the community.

Over the last year, an increased focus on a return for the billions of dollars invested has put the indoor agriculture industry under pressure. This was inevitable and is, to some extent, welcome. It will force all of us to be much more focused on strong business models, energy consumption, and wise allocation of resources. It also will encourage the industry to work together to highlight the advantages of controlled environment agriculture and indoor farming in both the near and distant future. Issues of declining land and water availability will not go away. The population will not stop increasing. Climate change is a reality. We will need all forms of agriculture to mitigate these issues and feed the planet.

I hope to see many of you at Indoor Ag Con, where we can continue to explore the issues and opportunities facing the industry and find ways to collaborate. CEA and indoor farming take many forms, but we share a common goal of providing climate-independent access to food around the world. Let’s tackle the pressing issues of energy usage and business model viability to continue to prove our value to both consumers and the planet. As the current investor climate illustrates, we have no time to waste. A win for any of us is a win for all of us.

About Freight Farms:

To learn more, visit freightfarms.com , an 2023 Indoor Ag-Con sponsor or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or TikTok.

good natured® Provides High-tech Growers with Plant-based Packaging to Maximize Positive Environmental Impact

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 21, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

good natured Products Inc. (the “Company” or “good natured®”) (TSX-V: GDNP), a North American leader in earth-friendly plant-based products and Indoor Ag-Con 2023 exhibitor (booth 228) continues to grow its market traction with fast-growing food producers who are taking a fresh approach to supplying plant-based, nutritional foods to communities across North America. A growing population, changing climate conditions and consumers’ desire to support local suppliers is creating opportunity for innovative food producers to introduce new crops and next-gen sustainable agriculture practices that are easier on the planet than some traditional growing methods.

One customer, Heron Farms in South Carolina, is turning sea level rise into sustainable agriculture, one delicious Sea Bean at a time. Heron Farms is North America’s premiere indoor saltwater vertical farm that grows salt-tolerant crops such as sea beans, sea pickles and sea asparagus using predictive software and cutting-edge automated data collection and analysis methods. At the forefront of sustainable farming practices, Heron Farms distributes to retail, restaurants, and food service industries throughout 14 US states.

“We’re on a mission to solve two of the 21st century’s largest environmental problems, rising sea water levels and excess carbon dioxide. We strategically chose plant-based packaging from good natured® as the best option to extend our brand values beyond the product we produce all the way through to the packaging itself,” explained Sam Norton, Founder and CEO of Heron Farms.

Meanwhile, ColdAcre in Whitehorse, Yukon is taking sustainable growing practices to the next level by providing year-round fresh food and growing solutions for far northern climates. ColdAcre provides wholesale and commercial fresh grown food in plant-based, certified compostable packaging from good natured®, which is distributed through small independent grocers through to large chains, such as Save-On-Foods in the Yukon. ColdAcre is the only year-round food producer of greens in the Yukon and sells their farming system across Canada and the Arctic. Their systems source local jobs, reduce supply chain dependency and bring high-quality fresh produce to communities making them more self-sufficient and sustainable.

“We made it a mandate when we started ColdAcre that we wouldn’t contribute to the single-use plastics problem that’s top of mind for many Canadians. We’ve been very pleased to be able to work with our like-minded partner good natured® as we prepare to triple our production in the coming months and offer our products in plant-based, compostable packaging,” said Tarek Bos-Jabber, CEO of ColdAcre.

The good natured® corporate profile can be found at: investor.goodnaturedproducts.com

About good natured Products Inc.
good natured® is passionately pursuing its goal of becoming North America’s leading earth-friendly product company by offering the broadest assortment of eco-friendly options made from plants instead of petroleum. We’re all about making it easy and affordable for business owners and consumers to switch to better everyday products® made from renewable materials and free from chemicals of concern.

Part of the sustainable consumer goods market, good natured® offers over 400 products and services through wholesale and retail channels, including our own e-commerce stores. From plant-based home organization products to compostable food containers, bioplastic industrial supplies and medical packaging, we’re focused on delivering a great customer experience to make more plant-based products readily accessible to more people as the path to deliver meaningful environmental and social impact.

For more information: goodnaturedproducts.com

Surna Releases the Cultivator’s Guide to Grow Room Layout & Design

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 21, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

When it comes to designing your grow room layout, the possibilities can feel overwhelming. Where do you begin, and how will you make your design and equipment choices?

The Cultivator’s Guide to Grow Room Layout & Design

Time is money, and grow room layouts will have a direct effect on the quality of your crop, as well as the efficiency of your labor and overall operating costs. Surna has released this free educational resource for you to dive into the key components of a successful grow and to visualize which options make sense for your business.

Gain insight from engineering and design experts. Compare four example layout configurations modeled from a real commercial cultivation client. Find out how your layout might affect the canopy size, space utilization, architectural considerations, lighting requirements, HVACD design needs, and operations planning.

Download your free whitepaper today.

Helping Growers Bring Their Visions to Life

The success of your indoor farm will largely depend on the decisions you make before breaking ground. Surna Cultivation Technologies provides comprehensive indoor ag services and equipment to suit every unique grower’s needs.

With over 16-years of experience in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), Surna can guide you in creating the cultivation facility you’ve imagined, keeping your budget in mind. Streamline the planning and buildout process, then see your yields and profits grow!

As your one-stop-shop for equipment and services in CEA, Surna provides everything you need to get growing including architectural design, MEP engineering, HVAC systems, benching and racking, lighting, controls and automation, water treatment, and more! Find out how Surna can help bring your cultivation facility to life: watch now.

Meet Surna Cultivation Technologies In-Person at the 2023 Indoor Ag-Con

Are you planning to launch an indoor farm? Are you expanding or optimizing your existing facility? Surna invites you to stop by booth #807 at the 2023 Indoor Ag-Con located in Las Vegas, Nevada. An expert representative will be waiting to discuss your goals and begin evaluating which indoor ag solutions are the best fit for your needs.

Visit surna.com to learn more.

AeroFarms Continues National and Global Expansion With New Farms Coming in the St. Louis Region and Qatar

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on January 21, 2023. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

AeroFarms, award-winning leader in indoor vertical farming, has recently released plans to build a next-gen indoor smart farm in the St. Louis region in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund. In an effort to create a more distributed and resilient food system, AeroFarms will construct a roughly 150,000 square foot indoor vertical farm that will produce several million pounds of produce annually. This farm will use up to 95% less water and 99% less land while producing 390x the yield per square foot compared to traditional field farming. To read the full Indoor Soilless Farming Report from World Wildlife Fund, click here.

In addition, AeroFarms has proudly announced a new expansion in partnership with Qatar Free Zones Authority to build a new commercial indoor vertical farm that will meet Qatar’s growing appetite for fresh, sustainably grown leafy greens + address the growing need for regional agriculture production and climate resiliency throughout the MENA region. Over the last century, the MENA region has experienced significant population growth, yet the region contains less than 2% of the world’s renewable freshwater resources. AeroFarms expansion in partnership with QFZA will increase regional agriculture production, growing fresh produce in arid conditions with up to 95% less water.

Read the full story on AeroFarms Qatar expansion!