Kroger Expands Partnership With 80 Acres Farms to 316 Stores

80 Acres Farms, an indoor produce grower known for automated farms growing pesticide-free produce distributed regionally, is expanding availability of its products, including salads, microgreens and herbs, to 316 Kroger stores across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, the companies said.

“Kroger leads with their commitment to fresh by providing customers access to fresher and more nutritious produce,” said Mike Zelkind, co-founder and CEO of 80 Acres Farms. “Consumers are looking for more nutrition from their diet and want to trust that their food is safe and chemical-free and it will last longer in their refrigerators. The 80 Acres Farms brand delivers against all those promises.”

80 Acres Farms, based in Hamilton, Ohio, uses what it called “breakthrough technology” in facilities, including robotics, aiding it to efficiently grow produce closer to distribution points all year long. With locations closer to customers, the farm-to-table carbon footprint and overall food waste are low, they say. Regional producer growers utilizing what they say are safer and more sustainable farming methods are growing across the country.

“Everyone deserves easy access to fresh, affordable, delicious food," said Dan De La Rosa, group VP of fresh merchandising for Kroger. “This newly expanded partnership means more communities will have just-picked produce at their fingertips 365 days a year. We're proud to partner with 80 Acres Farms as we work together to create a world with Zero Hunger Zero Waste.”

80 Acres Farms has four locations in greater Cincinnati. Its latest state-of-the-art farm will support the new Kroger partnership, bringing 10 million fresh produce servings to communities across the Midwest.