Immokalee, Fla.-based Lipman Family Farms has recently purchased a 75-acre greenhouse facility in Jalisco, Mexico.
“The purchase is part of our approach to better secure the supply of tomato and fresh vegetable production, and fill in appropriate gaps between seasonal transition periods,” Darren Micelle, president of value-added services for Lipman, said in a news release. “We look forward to seeing the impact this purchase will have in supporting both the East and West markets in North America.”
Beginning in 2023, the Jalisco facility will provide volume for Lipman’s greenhouse-grown lineup of products for retail, foodservice and fresh-cut segments, according to the release.
The facility’s proximity to one of Lipman’s main U.S. cross docks in Edinburg, Texas, is an advantage for the greenhouse, and the Jalisco climate is ideal for tomato and fresh vegetable production, according to the release.
The greenhouse purchase is the newest addition to company operations. Lipman now partners with more than 50 local field and greenhouse growers across North America, in addition to the company’s Lipman-owned land in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, according to the release.
“With over 70 years of experience in farming and now a strong team of greenhouse agronomists, fresh-cut processors, and food safety leaders in Mexico, we are set up very well to service our network out of Mexico,” Micelle said in the release. “Being a grower has always been the foundation of what we do, and we’re proud of our progress to strengthen the connection between the farmer and the consumer.”
