Growing under glass: Talking indoor ag with Revol Greens' Tom Thompson

The past year has been rocky for field-grown leafy greens. With the Salinas Valley’s lettuce fields getting pummeled by an atmospheric river this January on the heels of a tough fall plagued with widespread Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus, lettuce grown outside has been put through the ringer.

As one extreme weather event after another continues to challenge field-grown acres across California, it’s difficult to ignore the allure of growing delicate greens indoors. The promise of control has always held a powerful pull in agriculture regardless of the crop, but the ability to control and precisely calibrate cultivation of high-maintenance leafy greens is now especially enticing.

Related news: Will there be a lettuce shortage this year as parts of drought-plagued California are now flooding?

Some indoor growers are proving — one harvest after another — that the promise of indoor ag is anything but hollow. CEA growers like Owatonna, Minn.-based Revol Greens are building on success, reaping the benefits of their labor year after year.

Established in a Minnesota greenhouse in 2017 and growing fresh greens and herbs year-round — even in the middle of a Midwestern winter — Revol Greens is an indoor grower that is steadily leveling up. With greenhouses in Minnesota, California, Georgia and soon Texas, Revol Greens continues to expand.

To learn more Revol Greens' approach to hydroponic farming and how the company began growing in a high-tech, automated environment, The Packer recently connected with the company's chief revenue officer, Tom Thompson.

The Packer: Can you tell me about what you do at Revol Greens?

Thompson: My role at Revol Greens is focused on balancing our mission and growth goals as a company, alongside clear consumer trends that show a greater need for products that are better for them and better for the planet. The innovation curve can be messy and not always a straight line, so meshing those priorities with the unique and evolving needs of our customers is a daily focus of our team.

How did you get involved with hydroponic growing and indoor agriculture?

My career has brought me from managing supply chains in potatoes and onions to helping build Target’s first perishable distribution centers and setting up food safety processes to working alongside a diverse set of client partners at Golden Sun Insights. It was through that work with private equity, seed breeders and CEA players that I gained more exposure to greenhouse production and knew that the Revol Greens team was well positioned amongst a crowded field to succeed!

What challenges did you anticipate growing lettuce?

The most significant challenge is managing the complexities of the lettuce and the salad set at grocery. Our customers each have different approaches to incorporating greenhouse lettuce and greens into their sets. We are focused on solving for some of those challenges from a growing standpoint and ensuring we have a differentiated offering that can add incremental dollars to the category.

Related news: Revol Greens to double romaine production with new 20-acre Texas greenhouse

Any aspect of growing hydroponics that surprised you?

We need to continue to message the value of greenhouse within this category to the consumer. Consumers made that journey to indoor tomatoes in the matter of 20 to 30 years to a product that has better flavor and freshness. We see that same trend beginning in berries. 

We believe that consistent messaging across all greenhouse-grown products and categories will continue to speed up the adoption of greenhouse lettuce and greens as supply chains continue to grow more strained.
 
How does your approach to growing greens avoid the current challenges experienced by the rest of the leafy greens category?

We provide a more consistent solution that can help avoid some of the challenges that occur during seasonal transitions in a field-cultivated environment. In a highly automated environment from seed to harvest to pack, we aim to mitigate that risk by reducing our exposure to the extraordinary and uncontrollable aspects of farming.

What is one thing that you wish professionals working in the fresh produce industry knew when it came to hydroponic farming or controlled environment agriculture?

There are a lot of nuances to CEA across growing methods, whether that be under glass or vertical, as well as nuances across product types and production methods. We believe some of this confusion will work itself out in 2023 with current market conditions as buyers and distributors learn the benefits and the differences amongst us. There is a lot of great work being done across the industry.

What are you most excited about for Revol Greens in 2023?

The growth curve from 2.5 acres of production to 50 acres in a few short years has been an incredible effort across our team. A team that was mostly formed in the past few years and quickly matured by having a foundation of industry experience that values the lessons learned over decades from those who have come before us. We have only just begun to gain efficiencies across our growing environment, technology stack and supply chain! 

And, of course, we are also very excited for the launch of our facility in Texas this spring!