Photo courtesy of BrightFarms
BrightFarms announced the opening of its new greenhouse hub in Yorkville, Illinois, a city within the Chicago metropolitan area.
This is the first of three new regional greenhouse hubs opening for BrightFarms in 2024, tripling the company's capacity to provide fresh, locally grown leafy greens to consumers across the Eastern and Central U.S.
"Our expansion marks a pivotal moment for us after more than a decade of growth and is the first step toward creating a coast-to-coast indoor supply chain that transforms how consumers access fresh salad greens," said Steve Platt, CEO of BrightFarms. "With the addition of our three new 8-acre hubs in Illinois, Texas and Georgia, we're increasing our growing capability to 150 million pounds of leafy greens annually, and we're excited to shape a healthier, greener future for generations to come."
Cox Enterprises became the majority investor in BrightFarms in October 2020 and fully acquired the company in August 2021. With an ambitious expansion plan for 2024, BrightFarms is set to serve more than two-thirds of the U.S. population, aiming to generate more than $300 million in revenue by 2026.
"Cox Farms is building the leading indoor farming company in North America, and BrightFarms is a cornerstone of that effort," said Steve Bradley, president of Cox Farms. "With the growing consumer preference for fresher, more responsibly grown produce, especially in the salad category, we are continuing to invest to meet the ever-increasing demand."
As for the additional greenhouse hubs in Macon, Georgia, and Lorena, Texas, construction is already underway and will be completed by the end of the year. Once fully built, the three new greenhouses will increase BrightFarms' growing capacity by seven times, adding nearly 100 acres.
