Freight Farms Case Study: Gourmet Caterers
Gourmet Caterers introduced an on-site container farm to start growing fresh, nutritious, and flavorful ingredients every week and reduce their reliance on inconsistent food imports.
Case Study from | Freight Farms
09/19/24
Freight Farms Case Study: Gourmet Caterers
Overview
Gourmet Caterers, a Boston-based food service management and catering company, has been New England's leader in dining hospitality for over 50 years.
Known for their talented chefs, impeccable service, and production of thousands of unforgettable events—including corporate functions, weddings, galas, and mitzvahs—Gourmet Caterers has built a long-standing reputation for innovation, creativity, and exceptional customer service.
In 2022, Gourmet Caterers began container farming to enhance their event experiences and commitment to sustainability. This initiative enables them to grow the equivalent of three acres of produce annually, providing fresh, locally-grown ingredients for their exclusive venues.
Initial Challenges
With Gourmet Caterers’ first-class reputation in food, drink, and service and an amazing legacy in hospitality, it’s crucial for their clients and guests to receive the highest-quality produce year-round. However, being in Massachusetts limits their ability to control their produce supply throughout the year.
Due to the state's location and seasonal constraints, approximately 87% of food in Massachusetts is imported, making Gourmet Caterers deeply reliant on out-of-state food supplies. This unsustainable food supply chain has been one of Gourmet Caterers’ biggest challenges as an event catering company, leading to high food miles, expensive produce, and excessive food waste.
In the United States, fresh produce travels an average of 1,500 miles before being consumed, declining in nutritional value, flavor, and freshness every day since it was harvested. Gourmet Caterers sought a solution that would allow them to control their food supply chain and bring a more sustainable solution to the table.
The Planning Process
In November 2022, Gourmet Caterers acquired Peppers Artful Events, a former catering company. The previous owners of Peppers had always envisioned introducing hydroponic farming due to how well it would fit the company’s mission, services, and sustainability goals. After the acquisition of Peppers, Gourmet Caterers loved the idea of operating a Freight Farm and decided to explore the technology further.
Their initial hesitations were the farm’s operating costs, yields, and power requirements. They wanted precise information on the amount of produce they could grow, the total costs for all operating expenses, and the power needed to run the farm.
After consulting with the Freight Farms team and understanding the specifics, Gourmet proceeded with the purchase.
Implementation
Now, with the container farm on-site at Peppers Artful Events headquartered in Northborough, MA, Gourmet Caterers serves weekly greens to their employees, visitors, and event guests at the many venues they manage food service for, including museums, concert halls, botanical gardens, hotels, and corporations.
They grow a wide variety of greens, including green bibb, cegolaine bibb, green and red butterhead, baby kale mix, arugula, microgreens, swiss chard, and prospera and opal basil.
Managing the farm is a team effort. Dan Perkins is the principal farmer, but someone helps him with seeding, transplanting, and harvesting once or twice a week so he can focus on maintenance and cleaning.
Results
As a Certified Green Caterer, Peppers’ clients are often eco-conscious, and their container farm aligns perfectly with this awareness. Dan Perkins often discusses with clients the advantages of local food sourcing and the humanitarian benefits of placing Freight Farms in food-insecure areas. This initiative has received great feedback and has strongly resonated with their clients.
Gourmet Caterers has found that their venue partners and clients love incorporating and featuring produce from the Freight Farm into their menus. The greens from Gourmet’s Freight Farm can be found everywhere, from the cafe menus at New England Botanic Garden to the first course at Boston’s prestigious galas, which serve over 500 guests.
“As event caterers, our products are flavor and presentation, and our Freight Farm produce wins on both counts. The taste of our lettuce really is a step up.”
— Dan Perkins, Principal Farmer at Peppers Artful Events
One of Dan Perkins’s duties is to give tours to clients who come through for tastings to decide what they want on their menu for their events. He also provides tours to family, friends, new employees, and even delivery drivers from various suppliers who are curious about the technology.
The Gourmet Caterers team has discovered that the short growth cycle of their Freight-Farmed produce, just seven weeks from seed to salad, allows the lettuce to retain some of the qualities of baby lettuce, adding a level of flavor not found in field-grown produce. As for presentation, the lush greenery on the walls in the container farm has been so visually appealing that several guests have jokingly suggested using them as boutonnieres at their weddings.
“I can say that, almost universally, their reactions have ranged from positive to borderline giddy! I get many questions and comments, and I can’t count how many times I’ve heard the phrase, ‘This is so awesome!’”
— Dan Perkins, Principal Farmer at Peppers Artful Events
Conclusion
As Gourmet Caterers plans for the future, it looks to expand its container farming operation due to their quick success, positive community feedback, and commitment to sustainable business practices.
“Overall, I’ve seen a great deal of wonder and delight from those I’ve introduced to the concept of container farming. As a farmer (and tour guide), it’s very heartening and makes me proud to have joined this endeavor.”
— Dan Perkins, Principal Farmer at Peppers Artful Events