Taylor Farms has acquired Equinox Growers, a leafy greens greenhouse in Louisa, Va., from Generate Capital. The Salinas, Calif.-based salad company says the facility is the largest commercial greenhouse in the mid-Atlantic and features technology to grow a wide variety of high-quality greens.
“We’re incredibly proud of the hard work our team has put into developing this facility and creating an operation that is truly worthy of a partner like Taylor Farms,” says John McMahon, president of Equinox Growers. “Seeing Taylor Farms’ strong commitment to the CEA space is both energizing and inspiring, and we’re delighted to support their vision.”
The controlled environment agriculture facility will be managed by a team of Equinox Growers while fully integrating into Taylor Farms’ product portfolio and cold-chain logistics network, according to a news release. Taylor Farms says the scale of Equinox Growers combined with its distribution network will improve freshness and make locally grown greens more accessible to consumers throughout the Eastern U.S.
“Retailers and consumers alike are increasingly seeking long-term, reliable access to greenhouse-grown produce,” says T. Bruce Taylor, senior vice president of marketing and product for Taylor Farms. “We’re taking a major step forward into controlled environment agriculture as this acquisition allows us to continue diversifying our raw product supply — both in geography and growing method — while meeting the rising demand for high-quality greenhouse-grown salads.”
The CEA lettuce segment is one of the fastest-growing categories in packaged salads, expanding by approximately 25% year-over-year as consumers seek freshness, crunch and year-round availability, the release says.
“This greenhouse is led by a world-class group of growers and operators with more than 120 years of combined experience,” says Sydney Ramskill, Taylor Farms vice president of CEA. “With a focus on freshness, flavor and value, we are excited to grow our greenhouse programs in our brands and our customer partners’ brands.”
