Kalera opens vertical farming facility in Denver

Kalera, an Orlando, Fla.-based hydroponic indoor vertical farming company, has opened its newest farm in the Denver area. The nearly 90,000-square-foot facility, located at 18000 E. 40th Ave., in Aurora, Colo., anticipates its first harvest of lettuce and microgreens in May.

The new facility is the company’s fifth domestic farm, joining a U.S. footprint that includes farms in Atlanta and Houston, as well as two in Orlando. Globally, Kalera operates farms in Munich and Kuwait, with a farm set to open in Singapore later this year.

“Increasing our national and global footprint has been a priority for our team as we seek to serve our major retail and food service customers,” Curtis McWilliams, Kalera’s interim chief executive officer, said in a release. “Opening this facility is an exciting step towards this goal, and we’re proud to serve urban communities like Denver with clean, nutrition-dense leafy greens that are accessible to local consumers.” 

Kalera greens are pesticide-free and non-genetically modified organisms, said the company. The climate-controlled environments at Kalera facilities allow for sustainable farming methods, such as water recycling and optimization of plant-nutrient formulas that maximize production.

The company reports that its large-scale U.S. farms in Orlando, Houston and Atlanta are operating above the company’s 80% throughput yield target.

Beyond achieving high yields, all Kalera farms are also making improvements in production capacity and corresponding revenues as demand for Kalera products continues to increase, said the company.

“Innovation is our focus. It’s what Kalera was founded on,” McWilliams said. “We are thrilled with these results, but not surprised, and are eager to bring this same efficient performance to our Denver farm.”

The Denver opening follows the news of Kalera’s recent merger with special purpose acquisition company Agrico Acquisition Corp. Kalera said it expects the partnership will result in the company becoming the first vertical farming business to go public on the Nasdaq stock market, which the company plans later this year.  

“Our partnership with Agrico will enable Kalera to fund the development of more farms worldwide,” McWilliams said. “We anticipate continued rapid growth in 2022 and are looking forward to providing food security to more urban communities.”