Publix And Its GreenWise Stores Go After Hydroponics In Big Ways

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September 9, 2020

by: Grier Ferguson 

Sarasota-Manatee Editor

The Lakeland-Based Grocery Giant Is

Targeting Customers

Who Want Fresh, Local Products

There was a time when hydroponic farming seemed almost futuristic, like flying cars or underwater houses. But not anymore. The future is now for hydroponics.  

Hydroponics, which involves growing plants without soil, is becoming more prevalent, including with Lakeland-based grocery giant Publix and the company’s GreenWise Market stores that sell organic, natural, and specialty groceries. Publix operates GreenWise stores in Lakeland, Tallahassee, Boca Raton, Ponte Vedra, and Odessa as well as in Mountain Brook, Ala., and Marietta, Ga. It closed two GreenWise stores in South Carolina in late August, citing the locations’ space constraints, but it plans to open a store in South Florida in the fourth quarter.

Publix and GreenWise are biting into hydroponics in some big ways, hoping it pays off with customers seeking fresh, local products.

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Courtesy. Lettuce grown in the hydroponic container farm at Publix’s GreenWise Market in Lakeland is sold in the store.

In one major move, the company installed a 40-foot hydroponic container farm in front of its Lakeland GreenWise store. The container, added at the beginning of March, uses mineral-rich water instead of soil to grow lettuce plants. Publix partnered with St. Petersburg-based Brick Street Farms on the initiative, a good fit because of Brick Street’s focus on quality and sustainability efforts, Publix Business Development Director for Produce and Floral Curt Epperson says.

One key feature of the container is a viewing window on the side that allows people to see the plants growing. Along with showing off the growing process to customers and store employees, GreenWise also wants to use it during educational tours for schoolchildren. The image of the fresh product is key, Epperson says. “You have a good visual of farming at its best inside a container,” he says.

The hydroponic farm is near an outdoor sitting area, encouraging people to mingle and see what it's all about. “There’s certainly been some interest in that,” Epperson says. People are also attracted to the system’s sun-emulating lighting. “It really has an iridescent grow to it,” he says. “It draws you into the container. It’s hard to walk by it and not say, ‘What is that?’”

The lettuce, which takes about five weeks to grow, is harvested right in the container. GreenWise has a grower on site who works with Brick Street and harvests the product three days a week, amounting to about 720 heads of lettuce each week. The same day it’s harvested, the lettuce is taken into the store to be sold. “It really brings a new level of freshness and sustainability to the customer,” Epperson says.

Sustainability can be a key selling point for consumers who are becoming savvier and more knowledgeable about where their food comes from. Because the lettuce from the hydroponic container only has to travel mere feet to end up on store shelves, the product uses fewer resources and has a reduced carbon footprint.

Customers are already responding well. The lettuce grown in the container has done well at the store, Epperson says, and currently, all of it is purchased at that location. Once the lettuce is harvested, more is planted, continuing the cycle.

Other GreenWise stores are getting in on the hydroponic action, too. Brick Street, for instance, is providing lettuce for other locations. Publix has also worked with South Carolina-based Vertical Roots on a mobile hydroponic farm that it brought to stores, giving people the chance to walk inside the farm. The mobile educational tool is on hold during the pandemic, but it’s expected to come back. “It’s really just a cool opportunity to bring the farming concept to the customers,” Epperson says. 

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Courtesy. Publix worked with South Carolina-based Vertical Roots on a mobile hydroponic farm that it brought to stores, giving people the chance to walk inside.

In another hydroponic effort, Publix has partnered with vertical farming company Kalera to distribute the lettuce it grows hydroponically in Orlando.

Other crops might be involved in the future as well; growers are working on expanding beyond lettuce. “Each of these growers are looking at other ways to grow other commodities,” Epperson says. “I think you’ll see more trials into tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers going forward.”

Epperson says Publix is working with more hydroponic growers, too, in states including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. “Every day, we’re outsourcing product,” he says. “It’s a great way to support communities that are supporting the growers and us. It’s great for the customer, great for the grower, and great for Publix.”

Publix Grows Hydroponic Produce At Greenwise Store

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Krishna Thakker@krishna_thakker

Aug. 3, 2020

Dive Brief:

• Publix has partnered with local hydroponics firm Brick Street Farms to grow, pack and harvest hydroponic lettuce in a container farm located outside its Lakeland, Florida Greenwise Market store. 

• The 40-foot container farm will grow an equivalent of 2.5 to 3 acres of lettuce and can operate 365 days a year in any weather conditions, Brick Street Farms told Grocery Dive in an emailed announcement. It substitutes soil for mineral-rich water, which means no pesticides are needed. The container farm uses 90% less water than a traditional farm and produces 720 heads of lettuce each week. 

• Customers can watch the produce grow through a window on the side of the container and purchase heads of lettuce inside the store.

Explore how the current landscape is impacting coffee manufacturers and how organic and fair trade can help ensure long-term success of the industry.

Dive Insight:

Publix has recently stepped up its partnerships in alternative agriculture. Earlier this year, the company began hosting Vertical Roots' interactive mobile hydroponic farm in the parking lots of its grocery stores and Greenwise locations. In March, Publix began selling microgreens from Kalera, a hydroponic farm on top of a Marriott hotel that lost all its business due to coronavirus, at 165 stores.

Hydroponic farming has been plagued by inefficiencies and high costs in the past, but improvements in technology are helping suppliers better meet retailers' demands for pricing and scale. On-site farms also add a bit of theater that can draw curious shoppers to stores. 

Publix isn’t the only food retailer exploring this field. Kroger last year installed mini hydroponic farms in a handful of Seattle stores in partnership with Infarm, a start-up based in Germany. Around the same time, Gordon Food Service and indoor farming startup Square Roots opened their first co-located hydroponics farm on Gordon’s headquarters in Wyoming, Michigan. H-E-B and Whole Foods have also experimented with hydroponics in and around their stores.

Having a hydroponic farm at the store removes the need for transportation and storage of lettuce before it hits shelves, according to Brick Street Farms. It also allows Publix to sell the produce in-season all year round, providing some supply stability.

Although omnichannel business is booming for grocers like Publix right now, many are looking for ways to drive traffic to their stores, where they can make the most money per order. Grow farms and other safe, eye-catching attractions could be one way to accomplish this.

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Lead Photo: Permission granted by Publix

Filed Under: Fresh food Natural/organic

Florida Indoor Farming Firm Turns Pandemic Disruption Into Opportunity

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U.S. NEWS 

JULY 9, 2020

By Paul Brinkmann 

A large greenhouse operated by Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Gotham Greens helped produce food as the coronavirus pandemic cut supply chains in March.

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Photo courtesy of Gotham Greens

ORLANDO, Fla., July 9 (UPI) -- A Florida company that grows lettuce in greenhouses turned a desperate situation during the coronavirus pandemic into new opportunities, thanks to a nationwide upswing in produce purchases from indoor farms.

Orlando, Fla.-based Kalera had to give away an entire harvest in March when the company's commercial customers closed amid stay-at-home orders. But, like some other greenhouse operations around the country, Kalera found other customers and avoided layoffs or going out of business. Indoor farms like Kalera produce food close to their customers, in clean, hygienic facilities. The process also is called vertical farming because produce is grown on racks, using hydroponics -- raising crops with water and nutrients, but without soil.

Good hygiene and a local supply are more important than ever during supply chain disruptions and waves of panic buying during the pandemic, said Daniel Malechuk, Kalera's chief executive officer.

RELATED NASA advances food-in-space technology"

It was literally the day of our first harvest at a new facility when the state announced stay-at-home orders and many of our food-service customers closed overnight," Malechuk said about what the company faced in March."

My reaction at first was massive disappointment. That would be an understatement. But we rolled up our sleeves and were determined to make the best of it," he said.

Kalera has developed its farm technology over the past 10 years and had built a demonstration farm and production facility in Orlando. To the CEO's dismay, the crops in the new greenhouse became ready for harvest just as Gov. Ron Desantis ordered all restaurants closed to indoor dining.

RELATED USDA announces another $470 million in purchases for food banks

That meant Kalera -- and other farmers who faced similar closures around the nation -- had nowhere to sell their crops. Some growers buried their produce rather than shoulder the expense of harvesting crops without having buyers waiting.

Among the customers Kalera lost were Marriott Orlando World Center, the Orlando Magic basketball team, and area theme parks, Malechuk said.

Kalera had built a large grow house on the grounds of the Marriott resort to supply fresh lettuce and micro-greens to the kitchens there. But the resort has been closed for months and does not plan to reopen until Aug. 1.

RELATED Florida team studies hydroponic hemp as toxic algae remedy

Instead of destroying the food, Malechuk donated his crop directly to local residents and food banks. That's also when he reached out to Florida-based Publix, one of the nation's largest grocery chains with more than 1,200 stores in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

At first, Publix paid Kalera for some crops and donated the produce to food banks.

Worried about possibly laying off his workforce of about 100, Malechuk wrote a heartfelt email to a Publix executive with whom he previously corresponded. His subject line was "Humble Plea."

The email asked Publix to make Kalera a permanent supplier. It worked, and Kalera produce now is sold in hundreds of Publix stores."

I knew Publix wasn't accepting new suppliers at that point, and I didn't think it would work," Malechuk said. "But I had to try, and I told Publix that.

"Unexpectedly, Publix expedited its process for accepting new products because of Kalera's crisis, said Curt Epperson, the company's business development manager for produce and floral.

“We were not only able to help their business -- and all the people who depend on them -- but our customers and our community," Epperson said in an email to UPI.

Kalera was not alone in turning a dismal outlook to a brighter future. Other indoor farm companies overcame difficulties during the pandemic and saw new opportunities.

Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Gotham Greens opened new greenhouses in several states as the pandemic spread around the world, CEO and co-founder Viraj Puri said.

His employees already had been wearing masks in growing areas before the pandemic struck. As coronavirus advanced, management added more levels of safety. "We started detailed health screening calls, temperature checks, increased distancing. It was a hard time for everyone. We all knew people who tested positive, and we saw people lose their jobs," Puri said.

Gotham Greens soon saw increased demand from retail merchants for its greenhouse produce as other farmers around the country struggled to find labor for harvests and had difficulties shipping food across the country during the pandemic, the CEO said."

The pandemic altered life around us, unfortunately, but it also showed that we can help ensure food security with indoor farming in controlled environments," Puri said. "These local supplies for growing produce are going to be important."

A number of other indoor farming operations found new customers -- and appreciation for their products -- during the pandemic, said Joel Cuello, a professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at the University of Arizona and vice-chair of the Association for Vertical Farming, based in Munich, Germany.

“In the future, customers want to make sure they have reliable access to food nearby. Vertical farming can be hyper-local, with a facility next to your restaurant or inside your grocery market if wanted," Cuello said.

As people value their health more during a global pandemic, nutrient-packed leafy greens are the most likely food that will be produced indoors, especially in remote areas with harsh environments, said Krishna Nemali, assistant professor of controlled environment agriculture at Purdue University in Indiana. "In northern places, like Iceland or Alaska, or in desert regions, like the Middle East, they struggle to grow food outdoors, so they are turning more to hydroponics," Nemali said. "That's where we will see more demand."

Another vertical farm company, Indiana-based Green Sense Farms, also reported an increase in calls and inquiries to its sales staff from potential customers about its technology, said Robert Colangelo, a founder, and CEO.

Colangelo's company provides contract research, design, and construction of indoor, controlled-environment agriculture facilities. Green Sense charges a little under $1 million to provide a system that includes an automated germination room, grow room, equipment room, and cooled packinghouse room."

What we found is the COVID virus caused people to look at the length of their supply chains. Long complex supply chains can really be disrupted," Colangelo said.

He said he has spoken to officials in various cities who want to learn more about setting up vertical farms."

If you have a food desert [an area with few grocery stores] or a school or hospital in a remote area, you could produce greens right on your property or right next door for that," he said.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue Visits Kalera

Perdue Visits Kalera For a Behind-The-Scenes Tour With Top Kalera Executives

June 09, 2020, | Source: Kaleraphoto-release

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Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue (l) stands next to Kalera CEO Daniel Malechuk (r) during a visit to the vertical farm's Orlando facility.

ORLANDO, Fla., June 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Monday, June 8th, technology-driven vertical farming company Kalera welcomed Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to its Orlando facility. Secretary Perdue was greeted by Kalera’s top executives, including CEO Daniel Malechuk and CTO Cristian Toma, who, along with other staff members, escorted him on a private tour of the facility’s proprietary technology, providing a glimpse at the future of farming. Key takeaways included how Kalera:

• eliminates the use of chemicals and removes exposure to pathogens through cleanroom technology.

• is able to supply an abundance of produce locally, eliminating the need to travel long distances when shipping perishable products. 

• ensures the highest quality and freshness by delivering product to customers within hours of harvest rather than days or weeks

• Is able to reduce water consumption by 95% compared to field farming.

During the tour, Perdue was able to sample the lettuce Kalera grows at the Orlando facility. Some of his positive reflections about the tour can be read in this Fox 35 Orlando news piece, “USDA Secretary visits Central Florida hydroponic farm, calls it a 'very innovative food production system'.” 

Kalera recently announced its new Atlanta facility, which will open in early 2021. While Kalera’s Orlando farm, which Perdue visited on Monday, is currently the highest production volume vertical farm in the Southeast, the new Atlanta facility will be more than double the size and generate approximately 75 jobs for the local community. As was the case in Orlando, Kalera is able to quickly open its newest growing facility in Atlanta as a result of a streamlined design and construction process, further illustrating its ability to rapidly scale and expand its vertical farms. 

After the tour, Daniel Malechuk, CEO of Kalera, addressed Secretary Perdue in front of assembled employees and press, saying, “Thank you very much on behalf of the Kalera staff for your time, and visiting us to discuss the future of agriculture, which is clean, healthy, sustainable, local and fresh. We look forward to helping the US stay on the cutting edge of agricultural innovation and feeding a hungry world with fewer natural resources.” 

In addition to its R&D center, Kalera opened its first commercial vertical farm, the HyCube growing center, on the premises of the Orlando World Center Marriott to bring fresh, local produce to the hotel’s visitors and customers. In March this year, it announced the opening of its second facility in Orlando. The Atlanta facility is the third farm in Kalera’s portfolio, and will soon be joined by more in the United States. Kalera is currently sold in over 160 Publix stores.

About Kalera
Kalera is a technology-driven vertical farming company with unique growing methods combining optimized nutrients and light recipes, precise environmental controls, and cleanroom standards to produce safe, highly nutritious, pesticide-free, non-GMO vegetables with consistently high quality and longer shelf life year-round. The company’s high-yield, automated, data-driven hydroponic production facilities have been designed for rapid rollout with industry-leading payback times to grow vegetables faster, cleaner, at a lower cost, and with less environmental impact.

Kalera’s shares are traded on NOTC, a marketplace for unlisted shares managed by NOTC AS, which is owned 100% by Oslo Børs ASA, the Oslo Stock Exchange.

Further information about the company may be found at www.kalera.com and www.kalera.com/investor along with an introductory Kalera film: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Crpph9w0hE

Kalera Contact:

Daniel Malechuk, CEO
Phone: +1 407 574 2382
Email: dmalechuk@kalera.com