BrightFarms, Inc. announced late last week that they have reached a partnership agreement with Mariano’s, a branch of Midwest grocery leader Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc., to deliver year-round local produce to Mariano’s Chicago area stores. BrightFarms will finance, build, and operate a state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse to supply Mariano’s stores with fresh, local produce year-round. By building a greenhouse in the City of Chicago, BrightFarms will expand Mariano’s extensive offering of locally grown produce.
“We have made a strong commitment to using locally grown produce from farmers across the three states in which Roundy’s operates,” said Donald G. Fitzgerald, Group Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer of Roundy’s. “We are pleased to enter into this partnership with BrightFarms as we continue to expand our offerings of “locally grown”.
“We look forward to our partnership with Mariano’s,” said BrightFarms CEO Paul Lightfoot. “The Mariano’s experience is unique and we’re honored that we will be able to contribute to their already extraordinary selection of produce offerings.”
BrightFarms also recently announced the search for a 200,000 square foot site on which to build a greenhouse farm in New York City, after recently terminating its lease for the rooftop of Liberty View Industrial Plaza in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.
The company is now focused on finding a world-class site, in this world-class city, on which to locate the world’s most productive urban farm project, as the flagship for New York based BrightFarms. Interest packages have been sent to Borough Presidents, economic development offices and real estate developers to identify suitable sites. The company hopes to be growing in NYC by early 2015.
“As New Yorkers, we are eager to start growing produce in our home town,” said BrightFarms CEO Paul Lightfoot. “Our goal is convert an underutilized, inner-city site into a state-of-the-art productive farm. The sooner we can build, the quicker we can bring investment, green collar jobs, and fresh produce to the greatest city in the world.”
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