US retailer Kroger plans to offer products from indoor farming company Gotham Greens in approximately 1,000 stores by the end of this year.
Gotham Greens is an indoor farming company that offers greenhouse-grown produce as well as plant-based food items, such as dips, cooking sauces and dressings.
The expansion of Gotham Greens' plant-based food items will put the supplier in nearly 2,000 Kroger outlets across the country, the retailer noted.
By summer of 2023, Gotham Greens will own and operate 13 greenhouses, covering more than 40 acres (1.8 million square feet), in California, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Rhode Island.
Dan De La Rosa, Kroger's group vice president of fresh merchandising, said, "We're proud to expand our collaboration with Gotham Greens as we work together to bring fresh, local, high-quality and longer-lasting produce to our customers in an environmentally sustainable way.
"Gotham Greens' state-of-the-art, climate-controlled greenhouses reduce the number of days the products spend between harvest and our store shelves, while removing unpredictable weather challenges and improving product quality and shelf life. These factors ultimately reduce food waste, both in stores and in consumers' homes."
Food Waste Reduction
Kroger aims to reduce the climate impact across its operations by reducing food waste and has pledged to achieve zero food waste to landfill by 2025.
Gotham Greens' production methods will support the grocer's mission to create a sustainable food system.
The company grows, harvests and delivers non-GMO, pesticide-free salad greens and herbs around the year.
It implements hydroponic growing method in sunlight-powered greenhouses and uses up to 95% less water and 97% less land compared to field-grown farming.
Viraj Puri, co-founder and CEO of Gotham Greens said, "Kroger and Gotham Greens share a commitment to building a more resilient and equitable food system, putting people and our planet at the forefront of everything we do."
"With increasing climate and supply chain related issues facing our food system, it's more important than ever to bring innovative farming solutions that grow high-quality produce while using fewer precious natural resources. Gotham Greens is growing fast, and we look forward to bringing our brand to new markets in the coming months."
Since 2020, Gotham Greens has been supplying goods to Kroger, with its first launch in the King Soopers supermarket chain.
Gotham Greens' fresh food portfolio includes a range of dressings, cooking sauces and plant-based dips that are minimally processed.
©2023 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest fresh produce news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
