On Monday, July 31, Plenty, a company specializing in indoor vertical farming, marked a construction milestone at its Richmond, VA, campus. The site will become an extensive indoor vertical farm campus featuring a strawberry farm developed in collaboration with Driscoll’s, a well-known brand in fresh premium berries.
Plenty & Driscoll’s Partnership Details
Plenty and Driscoll’s partnership was announced last year, focusing on research and development for growing strawberries indoors. The collaboration has now expanded to include the construction of a new indoor vertical farm dedicated to strawberries to serve consumers in the Northeastern United States.
Event Highlights
The “going vertical” construction phase will be commemorated later today by Plenty’s CEO, Arama Kukutai, along with VA Governor Glenn Youngkin, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matt Lohr, and Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Caren Merrick.
Potential Impact
Plenty’s Richmond campus is slated to provide fresh produce to East Coast communities starting next year. The initiative is expected to increase access to regionally-grown, pesticide-free fruits, and vegetables and may contribute to job creation in the Commonwealth.
- Technology and Sustainability: Plenty’s vertical growing platform utilizes data analytics, machine learning, and customized lighting, claiming to achieve yields 150-350 times greater per acre than traditional field farming. This approach is presented as a means to conserve natural resources and enhance the availability of nutritious produce.
- Emphasis on Quality: The collaboration between Plenty and Driscoll aim to grow premium berries closer to consumers, focusing on optimizing flavor, texture, and size. The partnership aims to offer a consistent and high-quality product to a significant berry consumption region in the US.
Image provided by Plenty
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