Superior Fresh's Brandon Gottsacker Talks Regenerative Ag and Category Expansion
NORTHFIELD, WI - In Part One, I broke down how Superior Fresh, the futuristic aquaponics company, is changing the way food is grown—particularly certified organic leafy greens. The conversation between myself and President Brandon Gottsacker amplified many points of interest about which categories this innovative company is breaking into and where the company is headed next.
“We have a mission to feed the world with healthy, reliable, and high-value food products, raised using sound USDA certified organic practices in a safe environment,” said Brandon. It’s little wonder then that the Superior Fresh team has always worked with regenerative ag in mind.
“Every product in our facility is being used in some way to rehabilitate the land that it sits on,” Brandon explained to me. “Because of the steps we’ve taken to actively restore and enhance the land, there has been a resurgence of plants and other wildlife that haven’t been seen in this area for decades. Our team has purposefully planted hundreds of thousands of native starts, removed invasive species, and watched as the native vegetation and animals have returned. For example, some of the other projects that we have on-site include tapping our own maple trees for maple syrup and keeping bees. It just all ties into our desire and belief that organic always ‘gives back’.”
In an effort to follow its mission, Superior Fresh practices the mindset of thinking globally while acting locally. Always conscious of and sensitive towards the world’s limited natural resources, the fish and the produce grow symbiotically to create an amazing organic ecosystem.
“Food is such a morals and values decision. When you’re buying produce, you want it to come from a company or farm that you can personally feel good about and connect with,” Brandon remarked. “For us, it’s all about the health of the food, which innately drives the sustainability aspect forward.”
Regenerative ag is slowly taking over the supply-side’s consciousness, but it also weighs on the buyer’s mind as well. Consumers back moral decisions with their wallets. As a millennial, I can attest to the importance of values in my shopping decisions. Couple that with a product with an unsurpassed taste? I’ll be hard-pressed to look elsewhere.
And as Superior Fresh expands its category portfolio, it’s high-time retailers take note, too.
“We've got microgreens in the facility right now and many varieties of different herbs. We plan to grow or at least try every different herb there is,” Brandon shared. “We've got a lot of different products that will be rolled out with our Phase Three expansion. We’re also growing berries and other surprises in the greenhouse right now. But the bottom line is, we’re trying all kinds of different and exciting things.”
Is it too much to ask them to try it all? Perhaps, but this writer can dream nonetheless! Keep reading AndNowUKnow as we bring the latest in innovation.
