Moving ahead

Logo courtesy of Kalera; Photo courtesy of Ever Tru Farms; Photo courtesy of Plenty

New strawberry producer Ever Tru Farms launches in Ontario

Ever Tru Farms, a new Ontario-based and entirely vertically integrated strawberry producer, has announced the company’s first crop coming in March. The business is targeting an aggressive expansion plan and was on track to have 1 million square feet of hydroponic growing space online by January of 2022, with an additional 1 million square feet by this coming fall. Ever Tru Farms is expected to produce 30,000 cases of strawberries a week to start, with expected growth of up to 45,000 cases in the near future.

The team consists of Paul J. Mastronardi, head of sales and marketing, Guido van het Hof, president of Great Northern Hydroponics, as well as participation from Jim DiMenna, president of Red Sun Farms.

“We are one team, with one focus: to deliver consistently delicious strawberries, every time. We are confident in our strategy, but more importantly, our process,” says Mastronardi.

Vertical farming company Kalera goes public

Kalera and Agrico Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), jointly announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. As a result, Kalera will transition from its current Euronext Growth Oslo listing to a publicly listed company with its common shares traded on the NASDAQ stock market.

“Kalera and Agrico together form a team with the expertise to bring Kalera’s fresh, clean and sustainable Local Living Lettuce to consumers across the globe,” says Curtis McWilliams, interim chief executive officer of Kalera. “A tremendous need exists for healthy, sustainable and surprisingly affordable food. At Kalera, we believe we have a business model that can bring nourishment across the globe while reducing environmental impact.”

Walmart invests in Plenty

Walmart, in a press release dated Feb. 26, said that it is investing in vertical farming company Plenty and plans to carry the startup’s leafy greens in all California stores later this year.

The big-box retail giant did not disclose the size of the equity stake or the terms of the commercial deal, but terms of the deal call for a Walmart executive joining Plenty’s board. Walmart’s investment is part of a $400 million round of funding for Plenty led by One Madison Group and JS Capital, with participation from SoftBank Vision Fund.