Urban agriculture company Gotham Greens has announced that it is constructing a new 10-acre greenhouse facility in California, as part of a west coast expansion.
The first phase of the new facility is expected to open in 2021 and will enable Gotham Greens to supply more fresh, greenhouse-grown leafy greens to retailers and foodservice operators on the west coast.
Located in Solano County, the new facility marks the company’s latest hydroponic greenhouse, joining its facilities in New York, Illinois, Rhode Island, Maryland and Colorado.
With the new facility, Gotham Greens has entered into a partnership with the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) and the UC David College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Under the agreement, they will collaborate on advancing research and innovation in the areas of indoor agriculture, advanced greenhouse technology and urban agriculture.
“We are proud to bring Gotham Greens to the west coast and partner with one of the highest-ranked agricultural research centres in the world to advance the entire agriculture system,” said Viraj Puri, co-founder and CEO of Gotham Greens.
He added: “California is responsible for growing one-third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the nation’s fruits, yet in recent years, issues surrounding drought, food safety and worker welfare have demonstrated the need for continued innovation.”
Gabriel Youtsey, UC ANR chief innovation officer, said: “We are building a Controlled Environment Agriculture Consortium to support and advance the indoor farming industry, grow more fresh produce on less land and create new jobs for Californians.
“Gotham Greens is an anchoring partner of this research and industry collaboration that we hope will spur innovation, create a new indoor farming workforce and support industry growth.”
Gotham Green’s new facility will generate 60 full-time jobs and provide University of California students first-hand experience.
The announcement follows the urban agriculture firm’s recent $87 million Series D round, which brought its total financing to $130 million.
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