Key Takeaways
- Little Leaf Farms launches Sweet & Crispy, a new lettuce blend featuring Baby Crispy Green Leaf and Sweet Baby Butter Leaf varieties.
- The blend offers a mix of crispy and buttery textures with a touch of sweetness, available in 4 oz. packages with an MSRP of $3.99.
- Grown sustainably in controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) greenhouses, the lettuce is pesticide-free and requires no washing.
- The launch follows the brand’s expansion at its McAdoo, Pennsylvania campus, including the opening of its third greenhouse and construction of a fourth.
- Little Leaf Farms currently serves over 7,000 grocery stores and is exploring further growth in the Midwest and Southeast.
Introducing the Sweet & Crispy Blend
Little Leaf Farms, the leading U.S. brand for sustainably grown packaged lettuce, has expanded its product offerings with the launch of Sweet & Crispy, a new blend combining two fan-favorite varieties:
- Baby Crispy Green Leaf
- Sweet Baby Butter Leaf
The blend offers a mix of crispy textures and buttery sweetness, designed to elevate salads and sandwiches. Emily Voshell, Brand Manager at Little Leaf Farms, commented on the launch: “Sweet & Crispy combines the unmistakable crunch of Little Leaf Farms with a sweetness that will transform any salad or sandwich, all in one convenient pack.”
Sustainable Growing Practices
Sweet & Crispy is grown using the same sustainable practices as Little Leaf Farms’ other offerings, which include:
- Pesticide-free, herbicide-free, and fungicide-free cultivation.
- Leveraging sunlight and fresh rainwater in an environmentally friendly ecosystem.
- A hands-free growing process from seeding to harvest, eliminating the need for washing.
The lettuce is harvested daily and delivered to grocery stores within 24 hours, ensuring maximum freshness.
Retail Availability
Sweet & Crispy is available in 4 oz. packages at an MSRP of $3.99 and is sold in stores throughout the eastern half of the U.S.
Expansion of Greenhouse Operations
The launch coincides with the brand’s ongoing expansion at its McAdoo, Pennsylvania campus, which now features:
- A newly opened third greenhouse.
- A fourth greenhouse under construction, set to open in fall 2025, adding an additional 10 acres to the site.
Little Leaf Farms’ combined CEA operations in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania currently span 40 acres, making it the largest leafy greens CEA campus in North America.
Continued Innovation
Little Leaf Farms also continues to innovate within its popular Salad Kits line, recently introducing a new Sesame Ginger variety. The kit includes Baby Crispy Green Leaf paired with Thai seasoned wonton strips, sliced almonds, toasted quinoa, and sesame ginger dressing for a ready-to-enjoy meal.
Commitment to Growth
As the fastest-growing packaged salad brand in the U.S., Little Leaf Farms serves over 7,000 grocery stores and is actively exploring new site opportunities in the Midwest and Southeast regions to bring fresh, sustainable leafy greens to more consumers.
Little Leaf Farms Latest News
Expands Greenhouse Operations in Pennsylvania to Meet Growing Demand (2024/10/16)
Little Leaf Farms, the leading packaged lettuce brand in the US, has expanded its operations at its McAdoo, Pennsylvania campus. The company has opened its third greenhouse and is constructing a fourth, expected to be completed by fall 2025. The 20 acres of greenhouse space will help meet growing consumer demand and expand its presence in the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest regions. The brand now reaches 66% more U.S. households and doubles its penetration in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.
Expands Salad Kit Line with New Sesame Ginger Variety (2024/10/02)
Little Leaf Farms, the leading lettuce brand in the US, has expanded its Salad Kits line with a new Sesame Ginger variety. The new kit features Baby Crispy Green Leaf lettuce, Thai-seasoned wonton strips, sliced almonds, toasted quinoa, and a sesame ginger dressing. The salad kit is available at select grocery stores in the Northeast for $4.99.
Little Leaf Farms Expands with New Greenhouse in McAdoo, PA (2024/06/25)
Little Leaf Farms, the leading brand of packaged lettuce sustainably grown through controlled environment agriculture (CEA), is expanding its McAdoo, Pennsylvania campus with a new 10-acre greenhouse. This expansion will increase the company’s staff count to over 300 and support its growth throughout the Southeast and Midwest regions. Little Leaf Farms currently represents nearly 50% of packaged salad grown through CEA in the U.S., making it accessible to over 53% of the population. The company plans to open several more greenhouses in the future to serve its growing consumer base. To support growth, Little Leaf Farms recently closed a $250 million credit facility with a syndicate of banks led by Bank of America and banks within the Farm Credit System.
Redefining Desk Dining: The Shift in Office Lunch Culture (2024/01/25)
In the wake of Covid-19, the work landscape has significantly changed, especially in how employees manage their lunch breaks. A study found that 76% of non-remote corporate workers now eat lunch at their desks at least half the time. Little Leaf Farms is responding to this trend with its innovative “Happy Desk Salad” Kit, aiming to elevate the traditional office lunch experience. The kit includes a Crispy Caesar Salad Kit, a desk shade for privacy, a desktop candelabra for ambiance, a custom placemat, and other premium accessories. The survey also reveals that 73% of office workers plan to bring their lunch to work more often for healthier meal options. Little Leaf Farms offers tips for enjoying a fulfilling desk lunch, including setting boundaries for a dedicated lunch break and choosing nutritious and convenient meals like their Salad Kits. This initiative not only caters to the evolving habits of office workers but also aligns with a commitment to sustainable, high-quality food production.
Little Leaf Farms Debuts Premium Salad Kits (2023/09/29)
Little Leaf Farms has launched new Crispy Caesar and Southwest salad kits. These kits, combining their popular Baby Crispy Green Leaf lettuce with additional ingredients like Garlic Croutons and Avocado Ranch Dressing, offer a gourmet salad experience. Emphasizing freshness, these kits are delivered to stores within 24 hours of leaving the greenhouse, ensuring peak quality. The company, which recently celebrated the opening of its fifth greenhouse, has expanded its market reach significantly. Initially available in select Northeast retailers at $5.49 for 7.5 oz. packages, a wider distribution is expected in 2024. This launch reflects Little Leaf Farms’ commitment to innovation and responding to consumer demands for fresh, convenient, and chemical-free salad options.
New England’s Top Packaged Lettuce Brand (2023/09/21)
Little Leaf Farms is the #1 best-selling packaged lettuce in New England, with a 46% boost in total dollar sales year over year. The brand is committed to growth and sustainability, as seen in the recent inauguration of its fifth greenhouse in McAdoo, Pennsylvania. This will expand its retail presence to nearly 5,000 grocery stores and broaden Little Leaf Farms’ reach into the Midwest and Southeast regions. The brand’s Sweet Baby Butter Leaf product will hit the shelves this fall in a fresh eight oz size.
Little Leaf Farms Welcomes William Hogan (2023/07/18)
Little Leaf Farms has appointed William Hogan as Executive Vice President and CFO. Hogan’s experience in private equity and strategic financial management will be instrumental in driving the company’s financial performance and operational efficiency as it enters its next phase of growth. Little Leaf Farms is committed to sustainable farming practices and plans to open its second greenhouse in Pennsylvania, which will be its fifth greenhouse overall. The company is dedicated to providing high-quality, locally-grown lettuce to consumers across the United States.
Paul Sellew Named EY New England Entrepreneur of the Year (2023/06/23)
Paul Sellew, Founder and CEO of Little Leaf Farms, was awarded the New England Entrepreneur Of The Year 2023 by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US). Little Leaf Farms is a leading brand in sustainably grown packaged lettuce through controlled environment agriculture. The company operates greenhouses in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, with plans for further expansion. Little Leaf Farms recently projected retail sales to exceed $100 million by the end of 2023.
Little Leaf Farms to Open New Greenhouse in Pennsylvania (2023/06/01)
Little Leaf Farms is set to open its fifth state-of-the-art greenhouse in McAdoo, Pennsylvania, increasing its indoor cultivation space by 10 acres and making its fresh produce available in nearly 5,000 grocery stores across the Midwest to the Southeast. The new greenhouse will utilize advanced technology and efficiencies, enabling Little Leaf Farms to harvest over 20 million pounds of leafy greens annually. The company also donated $10,000 to Feeding Pennsylvania as part of the ceremony.
Little Leaf Farms Seeks to Trademark Its Lettuce Signature Curve (2023/05/03)
Little Leaf Farms, the leading brand of packaged lettuce grown sustainably through controlled environment agriculture, has filed for a trademark of its Baby Crispy Green Leaf lettuce’s unique curved shape. The lettuce’s signature curve, which leads into ruffled edges of vibrant green leaves, has delighted lettuce lovers along the East Coast. Little Leaf Farms is celebrating National Salad Month by hosting a sweepstakes on its Instagram account through May 31st, 2023, for a chance to win a year of free lettuce and other fun accessories. With its advanced greenhouse technologies and commitment to local delivery within 24 hours from harvest, Little Leaf Farms has become the top brand of packaged CEA lettuce in the U.S. and the third best-selling brand of all packaged lettuce in the Northeast.
Little Leaf Farms: Sustainable, High-Tech Lettuce Breaks Sales Records in 2023 (2023/04/23)
The company owes its success to its commitment to technology, sustainability, and quality. By implementing next-gen sensors and data science systems in its greenhouses, the company has achieved a yield 30 times greater than conventional farms. Additionally, Little Leaf Farms’ lettuce is known for its great taste, and it has a robust employee training program to help workers develop their careers. The company is a leader in the packaged lettuce segment and is poised for even more success in the future.
Banks a USD 300 Million Funding (2022/06/16)
Little Leaf Farms has successfully raised USD 300 million in new capital in a funding round led by The Rise Fund, TPG’s multi-sector global impact investing strategy, and debt funding from Bank of America. The funding will support the company’s growth & expansion plans to make Little Leaf Farms’ lettuces accessible to more than half of the United States by 2026. To reach said goal the company will double the acreage of its current facility and open a new greenhouse in McAdoo, Pennsylvania this summer.
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