Edible Garden receives USDA grants to support organic certification R&D

Edible Garden has received grants from the USDA Organic Certification Program administered by the Farm Service Agency to support organic certification research & development at its two facilities.

These funds are designated to reimburse organic producers and handlers with financial assistance to reduce the costs associated with organic certification, as well as processing/handling certifications.

Edible Garden produces locally grown, organic, and sustainable produce and products and is offered at more than 5,000 stores in the U.S. The company utilizes sustainable packaging, proprietary GreenThumb 2.0 patented software and proprietary patented self-watering in-store displays.

Edible Garden operates its own state-of-the-art greenhouses and processing facilities in Belvidere, New Jersey, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, and also has a network of contract growers located near major markets in the U.S.

"These funds will not only help offset some of the expenses tied to achieving and maintaining our organic certification, at our facilities in Belvidere, New Jersey, and Grand Rapids, Michigan, but also support our research and development efforts for new product innovation," said Edible Garden CEO Jim Kras. "As leaders in controlled environment agriculture, our commitment to producing local, organic and sustainable products makes organic certification a critical asset for our business.

“These grants further strengthen our partnership with the USDA and align seamlessly with the Company’s Zero-Waste Inspired mission," Kras added. "By utilizing this funding to drive R&D for new organic offerings, we look forward to exploring new opportunities to work together and continue to lead the way in sustainable agriculture, ensuring we make a lasting, positive contribution to the industry and the communities we serve.”

The company also recently added a production line at its Heartland facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to boost the facility’s capacity and add advanced processing capabilities to support the company’s produce and product lines.

“The additional production line marks a significant expansion of our Midwest production capabilities and is expected to further enhance the company’s margins. The new production line is an important piece of Edible Garden’s ongoing strategy to transition its offerings toward higher-margin fresh produce as evidenced by the company’s phasing out of legacy floral operations that it acquired along with the Edible Garden Heartland facility," Kras said.

"Since acquiring the facility, we have integrated cutting-edge technologies, including our unique, patented GreenThumb greenhouse management system, which has improved the traceability of our products while also streamlining our supply chain’s efficiency. Additionally, we have installed several high-speed packing lines, enabling Edible Garden Heartland to operate at a higher capacity.

"The expanded capacity will enable Edible Garden to meet the rising demand for fresh, sustainably produced food during the holiday season, support future growth and reduce our reliance on third-party suppliers. The company continues to focus on scaling its innovative and sustainable growing practices to supply fresh produce to communities across the Midwest and beyond and believes this vertical integration is consistent with our ongoing commitment to maximizing the operating efficiency of our facilities as we forge ahead toward our goal of profitability.”