CANADA: Local Leaf Farms To Open Vertical Farming Site In Kingston

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August 4, 2020, Jessica Foley

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Credit: localleaffarms.com

Purchasing local produce will become easier year-round after Local Leaf Farms opens their newest vertical farming site on Innovation Drive. Their innovative take on farming removes the need for a lot of land, and our Canadian dependency on weather.

Local Leaf Farms is on a mission to change the way food is produced and distributed in Canada, growing superior quality food that’s safer, fresher, and more sustainable. Using vertical farming technology first invented by NASA, they are able to provide Canadians with pesticide and herbicide-free, hyper-local produce (grown within the city it is sold) year-round. With a model that has them delivering the product directly to store shelves within hours of harvest, they ensure maximal freshness of the product, while reducing both food waste and the carbon footprint of transportation.

Packed in 100% plastic-free, compostable containers, their innovative technology provides retailers & consumers with a fully traceable food source, via a QR code on the package, that allows instant access to all details about how the product in a specific package was grown, when and by whom.

Kingston Economic Development and the City of Kingston are pleased to welcome this new business to our community in the St. Lawrence Business Park. “I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Local Leaf Farms to Kingston,” says Mayor Paterson. “This is a company that brings an exciting and innovative approach to local food that will bring great benefits to our residents, and will further position Kingston as a leader in food security and sustainability.”

The Local Leaf facility will be located in a new development at 800 Innovation Drive and is anticipated to open in late October of this year. This business is a $450,000 investment in the Kingston community in terms of start-up costs and is expected to create seven (7) full-time jobs locally.

“We’re proud to have Local Leaf Farms joining the innovative businesses that will be sharing one roof at 800 Innovation Drive when it opens this fall,” says Ben Pilon, President of BPE Group. “Their focus on sustainability and food security aligns nicely with our business philosophy, making this agreement a natural fit. With tenants like Local Leaf, 800 Innovation Drive, will see job creation, strengthen our local economy, and show the world that good things grow in Ontario.”

“As we scale to build 20 production facilities across the country by 2025, Kingston was an obvious choice. As a gateway to eastern Ontario, Kingston represents the perfect mix of a City whose municipal government understands the importance of both innovation and the food sector, an Economic Development Office that is exceptional in supporting out of town businesses in their relocation and a community that values sustainable, quality food products. It was an obvious choice that we are excited to commence upon,” says Steve Jones, President, and CEO of Local Leaf Farms.

“We are excited that Local Leaf Farms selected Kingston as a new site for their 7,000 sq. ft. facility. Their business mission aligns with the City of Kingston’s vision for innovation, entrepreneurship, and food security making it a great fit in the community,” says Shelley Hirstwood, Business Development Officer, Attraction & Aftercare with Kingston Economic Development Corporation. “The Kingston Economic Development team is looking forward to continuing to work with Local Leaf Farms as they became established.”

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Vertical Farm Opens First of 20 Planned Facilities

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June 23, 2020

By Greenhouse Canada

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Source: Local Leaf Farms

New Canadian agtech company Local Leaf Farms opened the doors to its new Barrie facility yesterday – the first of 20 planned to open by the end of 2025.

The 10,000 square-foot facility contains 6,500 square feet for production. It grows more than 20 cultivars, including leafy greens such as Romaine, arugula, kale, bok choy, and baby spinach, plus more than a dozen herbs, including basil, cilantro, and parsley.

Local Leaf Farms says they grow local produce that’s fresh, sustainable and fully traceable – addressing concerns by Canadian consumers.

The demand for local

According to an IPSOS study, 68 percent of Canadians say the COVID-19 pandemic has made food safety more important to them, and 47 percent say locally produced food is a top factor driving their purchase decisions. Nearly all Canadians (96 percent) prefer to buy produce grown in Canada, whether in their local community (21 percent), their province (41 percent), or elsewhere in the country (34 percent).

“Canadian consumers are demanding greater transparency about the food they eat. And that demand has never been more urgent,” said Steve Jones, President, and CEO of Local Leaf Farms. “As we begin to consider a post-COVID reality, we need to have real discussions about the stability – and overall future – of food production in this country. Local Leaf is bringing leading-edge technology to the food sector to produce the fresh, safe, and sustainable produce that Canadians are asking for.”

According to Local Leaf, the average package of leafy greens travels 3,000 km before it lands in a shopper’s cart at a Canadian grocery store. The journey can reportedly take up to two weeks, causing produce to lose up to 70 percent of its nutritional value and impacting taste, texture, and flavour.

To reduce the impact, all of Local Leaf Farms’ produce can be found at local grocery stores just hours after it is harvested, not only because of the facilities’ proximity but because it can be delivered directly without passing through distribution centres.

Automated and traceable

Local Leaf also offers a fully traceable food source, with instant access to information about the food from seed to shelf. The company’s proprietary technology and mobile app allow retailers and consumers to know exactly where their produce comes from, including detailed information on how it was grown, when and by whom. With automated technology, Local Leaf is able to employ an entirely local workforce, eliminating the need to rely on migrant labour – a workforce that has faced severe challenges in the face of COVID-19.

Connecting with consumers

“In addition to our year-round production in our vertical farm, our Barrie, Ontario location has converted its 20,000 square foot backyard to an outdoor community garden. This allows identified residents to grow their own food and learn from our agronomist and team in a collaborative environment,” says Local Leaf Farms.

Local Leaf’s facility is also open to the public once every month, allowing local residents to more closely connect with their food.

Eliminating plastic from packaging

In the results of the IPSOS study, more than two in three Canadians (68 percent) say that eliminating plastic from their food packaging is important, and half (51 percent) say they would prefer their leafy greens and herb packages be made of a non-plastic, compostable, plant-based material. In contrast, 21 percent would prefer produce to come packaged in recycled plastic, sometimes referred to as recycled PET.

“That’s why we’re excited to have sourced packaging that is made of non-plastic, compostable, plant-based material for all Local Leaf products,” says the team.

Plans for expansion

Local Leaf’s Barrie location services grocery stores, food service providers, and home meal kit providers within 50km of the farm. All of the produce, which is sold under the My Local Leaf brand, is pesticide- and herbicide-free, non-GMO, and packaged in 100 percent plastic-free compostable packaging. The company is on track to open its next location in Kingston in the coming months – and has a scale goal to launch 20 locations across the country by the end of 2025.

With files from Local Leaf Farms

Is Vertical Farming The Post-COVID Future of Food Production?

NEWS PROVIDED BY: Local Leaf Farms 

Jun 22, 2020

New Canadian agtech company Local Leaf Farms opens first vertical farming facility, producing fresh, safe, and sustainable hyper-local produce. Barrie location is the first of 20 planned to open by the end of 2025.

BARRIE, ON, June 22, 2020,/CNW/ - New Canadian agtech company Local Leaf Farms officially opened its first vertical farming facility today, establishing itself as a company ready to transform Canada's food industry. Using vertical farming technology, Local Leaf produces hyper-local produce that's fresher, more sustainable, and fully traceable - directly addressing many of the challenges of food production highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Alongside the launch, Local Leaf also released the findings of a study conducted by IPSOS that confirmed the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted the way Canadians are making decisions about food: according to the survey, 68% of Canadians say the pandemic has made food safety more important to them and 47% say locally produced food is today their top purchase driver.

"Canadian consumers are demanding greater transparency about the food they eat. And that demand has never been more urgent," said Steve Jones, President, and CEO of Local Leaf Farms. "As we begin to consider a post-COVID reality, we need to have real discussions about the stability - and overall future - of food production in this country. Local Leaf is bringing leading-edge technology to the food sector to produce the fresh, safe, and sustainable produce that Canadians are asking for."

Today, the average package of leafy greens in Canadian grocery stores travels 3,000 km before it lands in a shopper's cart. This journey can take up to two weeks and can cause produce to lose up to 70% of its nutritional value - not to mention the impact on its taste, texture, and flavour. Local Leaf Farms' technology allows the company to reimagine the journey food takes from the farm to the store. All Local Leaf Farms produce can be at local grocery stores just hours after it was harvested, not only because of proximity but because, unlike any other produce sold in Canada, it can be 'drop shipped': delivered directly, without the need to pass through distribution centres, maximizing freshness and shelf life.

Local Leaf also offers a fully traceable food source, with instant access to information about the food from seed to shelf. The company's proprietary technology and mobile app allow retailers and consumers to know exactly where their produce comes from, including detailed information on how it was grown, when and by whom. The farm, which includes an 20,000 square foot community garden, is even open to the public once a month, allowing people to see and connect with their food.

Of particular importance in our current reality, vertical farms like Local Leaf eliminate the need to rely on migrant labour - a workforce that has faced a severe threat in the face of COVID-19.

A growing number of Canadian investors and stakeholders are recognizing the need for Canada to rebuild its capacity to produce goods through stronger innovation - and are looking to the vertical farming industry as a viable solution. Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Navdeep Bains, is a vocal supporter of Local Leaf Farms' mission.

"It is vitally important that all Canadians have access to healthy, sustainable food," said Minister Bains.  "Local Leaf Farms is taking an innovative approach to this challenge by using the latest in agricultural and digital supply chain technologies, and data-driven decision making, to produce a reliable domestic supply of nutritious food, with a smaller environmental footprint."

The IPSOS research also identified the following key insights about changing consumer perceptions:

• Nearly all Canadians (96%) prefer to buy produce grown in Canada, whether in their local community (21%), their province (41%), or elsewhere in the country (34%).

• There is a widespread belief (68%) that eliminating plastic from food packaging is important, and a stated preference (51%) for non-plastic, compostable, plant-based material. By contrast, just 21% would prefer produce to come packaged in recycled plastic, sometimes referred to as recycled PET.

• Food safety matters: 88% of Canadians consider food safety important to their purchase decision when buying leafy greens and produce.

• The top food safety concerts are hygiene-based: almost 1 in 2 Canadians are concerned about product handling safety standards and 1 in 4 called out the cleanliness of the growing environment.

Local Leaf's Barrie location services grocery stores, food service providers, and home meal kit providers within 50km of the farm. All of the produce, which is sold under the My Local Leaf brand, is pesticide- and herbicide-free, non-GMO and packaged in 100% plastic-free compostable packaging. The company is on track to open its next location in Kingston in the coming months - and has a scale goal to launch 20 locations across the country by the end of 2025.

For more information about Local Leaf Farms, visit localleaffarms.com.

SOURCE Local Leaf Farms

For further information: Julie Pieterse, Craft Public Relations, 647-282-6118 | julie@craftpublicrelations.com