BrightFarms Breaks Ground in Texas; John Schaefer Tells All
IRVINGTON, NY - Remember back in March, when we brought forth insights regarding a four-part expansion for BrightFarms? As the indoor grower seeks to establish four new regional greenhouse hubs, it has officially broken ground on its newest facility in Texas.
“We are so proud to be expanding our growing facilities into the great state of Texas with a massive new indoor greenhouse hub that’s being built in Lorena,” said John Schaefer, Chief Operating Officer at BrightFarms. “Once it’s fully built and operational next year, it will offer sustainably grown leafy greens and salad kits to more people across Texas and the Central U.S.”
The new 16-acre greenhouse property in Lorena, TX, is one of four expansion hubs announced by BrightFarms at the start of the year; the first hub in Yorkville, Illinois, is currently under construction. The hubs in Macon, Georgia, and the Northeast also will begin in 2023.
According to a press release, operating local greenhouse farms in partnership with major retailers and cities across the country allows BrightFarms to eliminate time, distance, and costs from the food supply chain. The grower’s innovative, scalable model for the future of local sustainable farming uses less energy, land, and water than long-distance, field-grown agriculture.
“We always build our greenhouses near where our consumers live, to ensure we get them the freshest possible produce,” added Schaefer. “Most of the leafy greens in the U.S. are trucked across the country, spending days in trucks before landing in a grocery store. This means the produce is less fresh once it finally gets home and in your fridge. We are confident Texans will taste and experience the difference once getting their hands on our fresh, locally grown greens.”
ANUK will continue to report on this ongoing expansion, so stick around.