Square Roots Opens New Indoor Farm at Gordon Food Service Headquarters
WYOMING, MI -The time is nearly upon us! After all the buzz this year surrounding Square Roots' and Gordon Food Service's new partnership, the companies are officially opening the newest indoor farm at Gordon's headquarters in Wyoming on September 30th.
“Customers want fresh, locally-grown food all year round,” CEO of Gordon Food Service, Rich Wolowski, stated. “We’re now on a path to do that at scale with Square Roots.”
Square Roots’ will see high-tech farms built on or near Gordon Food Service locations across the continent through this strategic partnership, bringing premium-quality, hyper-local produce to customers throughout the year, according to a press release.
Announced in March, how does such a project ramp up with such speed? Thanks to Square Root's modular, scalable farm-tech platform.
As Square Roots notes, Cloud-connected farms and data-empowered farmers learn from each other, enabling the company to replicate success from one location to another. The company's vision of a distributed network of indoor farms, built across the world to bring real food to people in cities while empowering thousands of next-gen leaders in urban farming, is carried on with the Michigan farm's opening.
Square Roots is also helping the next generation of food-lovers forge a new career in farming and contribute to the real food revolution. The Square Roots Next-Gen Farmer Training Program is an incredible opportunity for young, diverse change-makers to leave a mark and build a future in urban agriculture.
The applications have come in droves for the Next-Gen Farmer Training Program, and the demand to join the Michigan farm has been no different. Square Roots has also been fortunate to attract exceptional talent to the management team in Michigan. Brian Mitchell, the team's new Farm Manager, is coming to the team from a 87,000-square-foot indoor aquaponic facility. Also joining the ranks, Assistant Farm Managers including Lauren Niergarth, a horticulture major from Michigan State University, and Eli Zimmer, a former Next-Gen Farmer from its Brooklyn farm.
As the company shares, "We are thrilled to be working with Gordon Food Service to bring this farm to life and empower so many young people to become leaders in urban farming, while supplying local buyers with delicious food, year round."
Congrats, Square Roots and Gordon Food Service, on the evolving partnership and we are all excited to see what happens next as urban farming hits its stride.