Key Highlights
- Location: Lorena, Texas, marks BrightFarms’ entry into the South Central and Southwest markets.
- Facility Size: 1.5 million square feet greenhouse with potential expansion to nearly 100 acres.
- Technology: Features advanced cooling systems, including KUBO’s Ultra-Clima, for year-round optimal growing conditions.
- Economic Impact: Over 250 local jobs with competitive benefits from day one.
- Broader Reach: New facilities in Texas, Illinois, and Georgia will cover two-thirds of the U.S. population.
A Major Milestone for Texas Agriculture
BrightFarms (Profile) has announced the opening of its first greenhouse in Texas, located in Lorena. This facility represents BrightFarms’ ambitious expansion plan to provide fresh, locally grown leafy greens across the South Central and Southwest regions. It is the second of three regional hubs the company is launching in 2024, following the opening of its Illinois greenhouse.
Steve Platt, CEO of BrightFarms, commented: “Texans deserve the freshest, highest-quality produce, and we’re thrilled to deliver just that. With our greenhouse expertise and cutting-edge technology, we’re bringing year-round access to fresh greens to the Lone Star State. As proud members of the GO TEXAN Program, we’re committed to not only providing top-tier produce but also supporting the growth of Texas agriculture.”
Cutting-Edge Technology and Community Impact
The 1.5-million-square-foot Lorena greenhouse employs state-of-the-art cooling systems like KUBO’s Ultra-Clima technology to ensure optimal growing conditions regardless of external weather. This innovation positions BrightFarms to deliver consistent quality, even in Texas’ challenging heat.
The new facility will create more than 250 jobs in Lorena and the surrounding Texas triangle area. These roles offer competitive benefits starting on the first day of employment, underscoring the company’s commitment to local economic development.
Mayor Tommy Ross of Lorena expressed his support: “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome BrightFarms into our community, creating jobs and bringing fresh, locally grown produce right here to Lorena. Their commitment to innovative agriculture practices not only drives economic development but also ensures that Texans have access to fresh, healthy greens grown right in their backyard.”
Backed by Cox Enterprises’ Commitment to Sustainability
BrightFarms operates under Cox Enterprises, which fully acquired the company in 2021. Cox Farms, the agricultural arm of Cox Enterprises, became North America’s largest greenhouse operator in 2024, overseeing more than 700 acres of controlled environment agriculture across its brands, including BrightFarms and Mucci Farms.
Steve Bradley, President of Cox Farms, stated: “With the opening of our new greenhouse in Texas, we are taking another significant step toward securing a sustainable food supply. This milestone reinforces Cox’s investment of over $2 billion in sustainable businesses and technologies, ensuring healthy, responsibly grown produce for generations to come.”
BrightFarms Latest News
Opens New Greenhouse in Yorkville, Illinois (2024/09/19)
BrightFarms, an indoor farming company, has opened its latest greenhouse hub in Yorkville, Illinois, marking the first of three regional hubs planned to open in 2024. The expansion aims to increase the company’s capacity to provide fresh, locally-grown leafy greens across the Eastern and Central U.S. The Yorkville facility features advanced greenhouse technology, including KUBO’s Ultra-Clima system, allowing for controlled indoor growing conditions year-round. BrightFarms’ focus on technology-driven solutions aims to optimize crop yields and ensure consistent quality. The company will be available in local grocery chains like Jewel-Osco and Mariano’s. Cox Enterprises, which fully acquired BrightFarms in 2021, supports the company’s expansion efforts, investing over $2 billion in sustainable technologies. By the end of its expansion, BrightFarms plans to serve over two-thirds of the U.S. population and meet increasing demand for locally-grown leafy greens.
Voluntary Recall of Spinach & Salad Kits Due To Potential Listeria Contamination (2024/01/18)
BrightFarms has recalled certain salad kit products from its supplier, Element Farms, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall affects clear, plastic 4-oz containers with specific “best by” dates, UPCs, and facility codes. The products, distributed in seven states, include Baby Spinach, Mediterranean Crunch Kit, Chickpea Caesar Crunch Kit, Bacon Ranch Crunch Kit, and Southwest Chipotle. No illnesses have been reported, but the recall was initiated following a positive test for Listeria in routine sampling. Retailers are instructed to remove affected products and consumers are urged not to consume them.
BrightFarms & Element Farms Join Forces to Elevate Indoor-Grown Spinach (2023/09/20)
BrightFarms and Element Farms have partnered to distribute indoor-grown spinach across the Northeast under the BrightFarms brand. The Giant Company will be the first retailer to introduce this spinach product across all its stores. BrightFarms has also announced the development of four new regional greenhouse hubs to meet surging consumer demand. In 2022, BrightFarms launched the Crunch Kit™ Salads, and it has plans to introduce two more varieties this October.
BrightFarms To Expand Its Footprint With Four Additional Greenhouse Hubs (2023/03/02)
Produce Grower reported yesterday that BrightFarms, an American indoor farming company headquartered in Irvington, New York, is expanding its footprint throughout the United States by constructing four regional greenhouse hubs in the Eastern and Central U.S. Per the article, the new locations are set to start shipping produce from 2024 which would enable BrightFarms to reach about two-thirds of the US and set the company up for 10-times increased revenue by the end of 2025.
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