Kroger partners with Europe's Infarm to offer in-store living produce farms

BERLIN and CINCINNATI — Kroger (NYSE: KR), a grocery retailer, and Infarm, an urban farming network, have announced a partnership that will bring modular living produce farms to North America, delivering produce picked so fresh you can see the roots, according to a press release. The partnership between Kroger and Infarm marks the first of its kind in the United States, according to the release.

The living produce farms will launch this month at two of the 15 stores planned at QFC — a Kroger banner — at locations in Bellevue and Kirkland, Washington. Using hydroponic technology, the produce will grow on site at the participating QFC stores, removing the need for extended transportation and storage and producing a more eco-conscious product. The farms are designed to scale and will provide shoppers the freshest and most sustainable living produce options available.

"Kroger believes that everyone deserves to have access to fresh, affordable and delicious food, no matter who you are, how you shop or what you like to eat," said Suzy Monford, Kroger's group vice president of fresh. "Our partnership with Infarm allows us to innovate by combining ground-breaking in-store farming technology with our passion for fresh, local produce and ecological sourcing. Kroger is excited to be first to market and offer the best of the season, and we're proud to lead the U.S. on this journey."

"We want to make fresh, pure, tasty and nutritious produce available and affordable for everyone," said Erez Galonska, CEO and co-founder at Infarm. "Kroger's commitment to innovation, quality and flavor makes them the perfect partner with which to launch our business in the United States and for the first time in North America."

Kroger's partnership with Infarm is a model of innovation in the grocery industry, according to the release, as the retailer has fully invested in its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan that aims to end hunger in local communities and eliminate waste across the company by 2025.