Lafayette, N.J.-based Element Farms completed in May all phases of construction and onboarding at its first facility and has revealed expansion plans: a 2.5-acre greenhouse designed specifically for growing baby spinach year-round.
Element Farms grows more than half a million pounds of baby spinach, arugula, lettuces, beet greens, pea shoots and more each year in its 1.5-acre facility and delivers directly to more than 120 retailers, online grocers and foodservice operators such as ShopRite, FreshDirect, Key Food, Kimberton, Whole Foods and Misfits Market, according to a news release.
“Baby spinach makes up 40% of the baby greens market in the United States …” founder and CEO Serdar Mizrakci said in the release. “We have served customers in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania for the last three years and understand their insatiable appetite for a tender, safe and premium baby spinach product. Our new greenhouse will serve that demand.”
Element Farms uses proprietary technology and processes to grow its greens in hydroponic ponds in glass greenhouses. Seeding, growing, harvesting, packing and delivery happen in a continuous cycle and produce is harvested in an average of 14 days.
The company relies on renewable energy of the sun to power most of its plants’ growth as a sustainable, cost-effective approach.
With the completion of its spinach greenhouse in late 2021, Element Farms will be on track to grow and ship 2 million pounds of greens per year.
The company is also pursuing greenhouse projects in other states.
Founded in 2016, Element Farms’ product line includes baby spinach, arugula, arugula-and-spinach, spinach-and-lettuce, crispy lettuce, spring mix, mighty mix and pea shoots.
Learn more at element-farms.com.