Cox Enterprises increases stake in CEA with Mucci Farms investment

Atlanta-based communications company Cox Enterprises has announced it has made a significant strategic investment in greenhouse giant Mucci Farms, Kingsville, Ontario.

Precise terms of the investment were not revealed in the announcement.

Cox Enterprises is adding Mucci Farms to what the company describes as its more than $1 billion investment in sustainable technologies since 2007, including the acquisition of BrightFarms in 2021, according to a news release. Overall, Cox Enterprises has $20 billion in annual revenue and brands that include Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Cox Homelife, the release said.

The investment in Mucci Farms will help the greenhouse company grow, complement Cox’s existing controlled environment agriculture, or CEA, business and expand Cox’s clean-tech portfolio, according to the release.

Mucci Farms, in business for 60 years, has a network of thousands of acres of indoor-grown fruits and vegetables, the release said, with more than 2,000 employees and the largest grow light program in the Canadian CEA industry.

Cox is committed to partnering with Mucci Farms to scale and meet growing consumer demand, according to the release. 

The strategic partnership with Mucci Farms is the “next phase” in Cox building a multibillion-dollar CEA business and helping Cox become one of the leading providers of sustainable produce across North America, the release said.

“It’s humbling to see how far we have come as an organization that was once a small family business,” Mucci Farms Principals Bert Mucci, Danny Mucci, Gianni Mucci and Joe Spano said in the release. “For several decades, we have had tremendous growth at Mucci Farms to bring us to the forefront of controlled environment agriculture. We are excited to continue this journey with Cox Enterprises, who share those values and that vision and will support our efforts to provide more communities with fresh produce from coast to coast.” 

“Mucci Farms combines its multigenerational farming expertise and technological innovations to grow high-quality, great-tasting produce,” Steve Bradley, vice president of clean-tech for Cox Enterprises, said in the release. “It’s the perfect complement to our expanding footprint in sustainable agriculture, and we look forward to working together with the Mucci Farms team to transform the industry.”