Kroger And 80 Acres Farms Expand Their Partnership

(CTN News) – There is a new partnership between Kroger and 80 Acres Farms, the leading vertical farming company in the world, to bring more clean produce to more consumers.

Founded in 2019, the vertical farmer has been a supplier to Kroger since the beginning of 2019.

It began with a single store in Ohio, then expanded to more than 300 stores across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky by the end of 2019.

As a result of the expansion announcement, the companies plan to serve consumers across 1,000 Kroger stores located in the Midwest and Southeast of the country.

Dan De La Rosa, Kroger’s Group Vice President of Fresh Merchandising, said that 80 Acres’ approach and technology contribute to the advancement of sustainable growing practices in the industry. As a result, long-lasting items can be created throughout the year by doing this.

There is no use of pesticides in the production of the produce at 80 Acres Farms, which means that fewer natural resources are spent on the process.

There are currently two production farms operated by the company in Ohio and Kentucky, in addition to research facilities located in Arkansas and The Netherlands.

As of December 2022, the company’s newest farm in Kentucky will be producing approximately 40 million servings of fresh produce annually and will begin operations in December 2022.

In addition to opening a next-generation farm in Georgia, the vertical farmer is planning to open a number of other locations in the near future.

During the fall of 2023, Kroger will expand the offer of in-door produce to new geographies, including Michigan, Tennessee, and Georgia. It is expected to expand into the Mid-Atlantic and Delta regions in the near future.

It is expected that 80 Acres Farms will also supply Kroger shoppers with products beyond the company’s existing salad blends as well as grab-and-go fresh meals in the near future.

According to 80 Acres Farms cofounder and CEO Mike Zelkind, which is the company’s co-founder and CEO, “Retailers have long been attracted to indoor farming because of its ability to supply fresh, healthful, and great-tasting produce in a more sustainable and resilient manner,”.

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