The Kroger Co. is intensifying its collaboration with 80 Acres Farms, a prominent vertical farming company, to make fresh produce accessible to a broader audience. Since their partnership began in 2019, 80 Acres Farms has expanded its supply from one Kroger store in Cincinnati to over 300 stores in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky by 2021. With the recent announcement, the vertical farming company aims to serve around 1,000 Kroger outlets in the Midwest and Southeast.
Dan De La Rosa, Kroger’s Group Vice President of Fresh Merchandising, emphasized Kroger’s commitment to providing everyone with fresh and tasty food. He praised 80 Acres Farms for their innovative approach and technology, which promotes sustainable farming practices and delivers fresh, long-lasting produce to customers.
80 Acres Farms stands out for its indoor, pesticide-free cultivation of produce like salad blends, herbs, and tomatoes, utilizing minimal natural resources. They operate farms in Ohio and Kentucky and have research facilities in Arkansas and The Netherlands. Their latest farm in Florence, Kentucky, which began operations in December 2022, is projected to produce around 40 million servings annually. The company is also gearing up to inaugurate a state-of-the-art farm in Georgia, with more sites in the pipeline.
Kroger plans to introduce 80 Acres Farms’ produce to new regions, including Michigan, Tennessee, and Georgia, in early 2023 and expand to the Mid-Atlantic and Delta areas later in the year. The partnership will soon offer more than just salad blends, including ready-to-eat fresh meals.
Mike Zelkind, co-founder, and CEO of 80 Acres Farms, highlighted retailers’ growing interest in indoor farming due to its sustainable and resilient nature. He commended Kroger for recognizing the significance of vertical farming in the future food supply chain and the unique value 80 Acres Farms brings to the table.
Image provided by Kroger
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