Gotham Greens, a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based indoor farming company and fresh food brand, has opened its first high-tech hydroponic greenhouse in Texas.
The 210,000-square-foot facility in Seagoville, Texas, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Dallas, is Gotham Greens 13th greenhouse nationwide, according to a news release. The company said its total footprint is now more than 40 acres, or 1.8 million square feet, across nine U.S. states.
The new greenhouse will provide a year-round supply of fresh produce that is always in season to grocery and foodservice customers throughout the state, according to the release. Gotham Greens said it is introducing a full line of Go Texas locally grown, pesticide-free, non-GMO produce, such as the regionally inspired Lone Star Crunch lettuce and a new line of fresh, convenient salad kits, available in three flavors: Southwest Ranch, Caesar, and Green Goddess.
Gotham Greens products are currently available across Texas and throughout the South, including at major retailers such as Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, Amazon Fresh, natural and independent grocery stores, and more.
“Instead of shipping in lettuce and salad greens from California and Arizona, which provide more than 90% of all leafy greens in the country, Gotham Greens grows and delivers fresh, high-quality and longer-lasting produce right in the heart of Texas using up to 90% less water and 97% less land compared to conventional open-field farming methods,” Gotham Greens co-founder and CEO Viraj Puri said in the release. “At Gotham Greens, we’re committed to growing more with less, especially as changing climates are creating less favorable growing conditions across the country.
“Our new Texas greenhouse uses the most advanced technology to date, including enhanced automation, climate control and data science capabilities in a fully closed system to help consistently and reliably grow food closer to where people live no matter the weather outside, and ensures that all our leafy greens and herbs meet the high-quality standard consumers nationwide have come to associate with and expect from the Gotham Greens brand,” Puri added.
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As a Certified B Corporation and a public benefit corporation, Gotham Greens said it champions quality, efficiency, dedication and freshness in all forms, both inside its greenhouses and throughout the communities where it operates. In addition to creating up to 100 new year-round, full-time jobs with competitive wages and benefits, the company says it is driving the industry toward a more sustainable food system through industry-leading social and environmental practices.
Gotham Greens saves 300 million gallons of water every year compared to field-grown farming, which is equivalent to around 450 Olympic-sized swimming pools, according to the release. The company said its national network of greenhouses provides a consistent and reliable supply of fresh greens for customers while eliminating the need for long-distance transportation, allowing its produce to stay fresher longer, thus increasing shelf life and decreasing food waste.
The new greenhouse facility in the Dallas metropolitan area is an example of what comes next for Texas, where agriculture is a vital part of the economy, as the state faces ongoing extreme weather events and increased risk of drought, according to the release. Gotham Greens said its indoor farm creates ideal conditions for plants to thrive and provide consumers across Texas and throughout the southern U.S. with sustainable produce year-round.
In addition to grocery stores, Gotham Greens products also are available at foodservice customers through distributors such as Hardie’s Fresh Foods. Consumers may have already enjoyed a taste of the company’s products at restaurants, including Sweetgreen and Zoe Tong, which featured Gotham Greens Vegan Pesto as part of a recent collaboration during Austin City Limits, according to the release.
Related: Gotham Greens expands in Southeast with its largest greenhouse facility to date
