Vertical Roots opens new indoor farm in Atlanta

The opening marks the company's expansion into Atlanta and the site joins its two hydroponic container farms in Charleston and Columbia, in South Carolina.  

Vertical Roots partnered with south-eastern produce suppliers Collins Brothers Produce and Phoenix Wholesale Foodservice to place the farm directly at their facilities.

With production at the farm underway, Vertical Roots says the farm will produce half a million heads of lettuce this year. The company's Georgia Grown lettuce will be available in grocery stores in July 2021.  

Vertical Roots claims its new Atlanta farm site will reduce produce transportation to the distributor by an estimated 300 miles per delivery and will allow its lettuce to be delivered to local customers the same day that it is harvested.

As a result, the new farm will help the company meet demand from thousands of grocery stores across the southeast and mid-Atlantic, as well as restaurants, universities and schools.

"A large part of our mission is to grow food as close to the point of consumption as possible, and this farm site accomplishes just that," said Andrew Hare, co-founder and general manager of Vertical Roots.

He added: "The Collins family are esteemed produce industry leaders for three generations, and we're ecstatic about the unique grower-supplier partnership that we've cultivated."

David Collins, president of Collins Brothers & Phoenix Wholesale Foodservice, said: "At Collins Brothers and Phoenix Wholesale, we've had the privilege to work with dedicated farmers across the country for decades.

"We're thrilled to partner with Vertical Roots as they bring an innovative way of farming to the agriculture industry. We look forward to this relationship as we share a like-minded mission in providing our customers with high quality, fresh, local produce."

Source and Photo Courtesy of Foodbev

Source: Foodbev Media