Gotham Greens Expands Executive Roster Alongside Retail and Foodservice Sales; Gears Up for California Launch as Part of 10th Anniversary Celebration; Viraj Puri Comments
NEW YORK, NY - Starting a new venture is always a major undertaking, but hitting the big 10-year anniversary makes it all worth it, especially for companies like Gotham Greens. Recently, the New York-based greenhouse grower celebrated 10 years with a gift to everybody in the States—expansion. Gotham Greens has announced it will be continuing its expansion strategy and brand awareness in the retail and foodservice sectors alongside bringing on Brian Orr and Jeff McKinnon to take on leadership roles within the company.
Orr will be donning the hat of Senior Vice President of Sales for Gotham Greens. According to the release, he brings 25 years of industry experience in sales. Prior to joining Gotham Greens, Orr recently served as Vice President of New Business Development - North America for Bonduelle Fresh Americas. Before Bonduelle, Orr held the position of Vice President Retail Sales at Ready Pac Produce for over 13 years.
McKinnon will continue his sales career as Gotham Green’s new Vice President of Sales.
He is another produce and CPG industry sales veteran and has over 20 years of experience. McKinnon has climbed the sales ranks at well-known names such as Procter & Gamble, Clorox, and Diageo. Most recently, he served as the Vice President of Sales at organicgirl for over five years.
With these formidable pros at the helm, the greenhouse grower is locked to bring in strong track records of growth and success.
“On the heels of our 10th anniversary in operation, Gotham Greens is on track to achieving our biggest year ever with exciting momentum heading into 2022,” said Viraj Puri, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Gotham Greens. “We are committed to bringing our brand of local and sustainably grown salad greens and herbs, along with our line of fresh dressings, dips, and cooking sauces, to more consumers up and down the West Coast and in more regions in the future.”
Since January 2021, Gotham Greens has expanded into more than 800 additional retail stores, bringing its total store count to approximately 2,800 doors nationwide with 62 percent YoY growth (compared to 52 percent and 15 percent YoY growth for the indoor farming sector and organic sector, respectively). This expansion is driven by new and increased distribution in national retailers, including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, The Fresh Market, Albertsons Companies, King Soopers (part of the Kroger Co.), AmazonFresh, and FreshDirect.
As it continues to expand its grocery, natural channel and e-commerce footprint, and retail sales, Gotham Greens is also working on increasing its brand presence across the foodservice industry with additional partnerships in the sector. Consumers will be able to access Gotham Greens’ leafy greens and herbs, dressings, and pesto sauces through foodservice operators such as Sweetgreen, Purple Carrot, and Just Salad. Each partnership is grounded in a shared mission to put plant-based foods at the center of the table, and reinforces the increasing importance of choosing sustainable produce among consumers today.
In addition to its retail and foodservice business expansion, stated the release, Gotham Greens is continuing to expand its national greenhouse network to meet increased demand. The company’s ninth hydroponic greenhouse, the first phase of a 10-acre project located near the University of California-Davis, is set to open next month. Gotham Greens produce will be widely available throughout California, including national and regional retailers such as Whole Foods Market and Raley’s.
Congratulations to Brian Orr and Jeff McKinnon on their appointments and to Gotham Greens on this amazing milestone! Keep an eye out for more expansions in both teams and footprints as we report on the latest.
