Gotham Greens opens first West Coast greenhouse, becomes Certified B Corp

For its first operation on the West Coast, Gotham Greens, Brooklyn, N.Y, has opened the initial phase of its 10-acre hydroponic greenhouse near the University of California-Davis campus.

With this national greenhouse expansion, Gotham Greens will have a network of high-tech hydroponic greenhouses spanning nine facilities in six states, according to a news release.

“California is the center of North America’s leafy greens production, where water shortages, wildfires and other results of climate change are straining critical agricultural resources. By putting down roots in California, we aspire to be a part of the agricultural industry’s solution to the increasingly visible impacts of climate change,” CEO and cofounder Viraj Puri said in the release.

The company’s sustainable farming practices enable growing salad greens and herbs year-round while conserving land and water. The irrigation techniques use less than one gallon of water to grow a head of lettuce compared with up to 10 gallons used in open-field farming, according to the release. 

The California operation adds to the company’s locations in New York, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland and Colorado. Gotham Greens products are in about 3,000 retail locations in more than 45 states. The company’s line of salad greens, herbs, dressings, dips and cooking sauces will be available throughout California, including at Whole Foods Market, Raley’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, Good Eggs and Berkeley Bowl.

The California location bolsters Gotham Greens’ partnership with University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The Solano, Calif., greenhouse facility will enable research and innovation collaboration on the science, workforce, technology and profitability of the indoor farming industry.

“Our newest greenhouse facility in Northern California is strategically located to service retailers and foodservice providers throughout the region more quickly while conserving precious resources, including land and water,” Puri said in the release. We are excited to continue to expand our footprint, work in partnership with UC Davis and innovate with the agricultural industry in California for a better food system.”

The California expansion coincides with the company’s achievement of Certified B Corp status –– officially joining the ranks of vetted, environmentally conscious brands. The certification is a milestone in the company’s mission of driving the industry toward a more sustainable food system through industry-leading social and environmental practices. 

“Our B Corp certification comes at a pivotal time for Gotham Greens as we celebrate our 10th anniversary, the opening of our California greenhouse and our plans for future growth,” chief greenhouse officer Jenn Frymark said in the release. “The certification will add in additional layers of accountability and transparency for our employees, customers, retail and foodservice partners, and investors as we continue to innovate our food system to build a better future for generations to come.”

The company is formally announcing new outcome-based sustainability commitments, including:

• Goal 1: Reduce plastic packaging for leafy greens and herbs by 40% by 2024. New lidded film packaging for its salad greens reduces plastic packaging for lettuces by more than 30%; and
• Goal 2: Achieve a reduction of 5% in electricity use intensity by 2024 and reduce Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emission intensity by 5% by the end of 2024. Gotham Greens currently relies primarily on renewable electricity sources to power its greenhouse facilities.  

In 2021, Gotham Greens led the Whole Foods’ annual Top 10 Trend Report for 2022 No. 1 trend of Ultraurban Farming and was awarded the Gold medal in the Food and Beverage category as part of Inc.’s Best in Business list. Inc.’s Best in Business Awards honor companies that have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact.