Could Target be getting into the farming gig? Produce Retailer’s sister publication The Packer recently talked to some retail analysts about the rumors Minneapolis-based Target is interested in adding vertical farms to some of its urban stores.
Analysts are skeptical about Target, which admits its performance in produce needs some work, is the right fit for in-store farming.
From the article, written by Ashley Nickle:
“Target struggles with just basic produce sales before getting all exotic with vertical farming,” Jetta said in an e-mail. “Their problem is that they don’t generate enough store traffic to justify a presence in produce at all. Spoilage is a recurring problem for them because the average Target shopper goes there less than 10 times per year. The average grocery store gets 20-25 trips.”
On-site farms have been around for several years,like the rooftop garden at Rouses in New Orleans or the Whole Foods rooftop garden with Gotham Greens in Brooklyn.
These installations typically are reserved for full service or specialty retailers like Whole Foods or this Metro store in Germany, in a widely-publicized video from earlier this year.
BrightFarms also is a retailer/greenhouse concept that’s expanding rapidly, but the greenhouses aren’t right there in the store, staffed by the retailer’s personnel.
So, if not Target, then who? What retail format works for on-site growing operations?