Urban Organics Launches Nine New Organic Greens Blends

Aquaponics farming innovator Urban Organics has launched nine new blends of its locally-grown greens. The blends will extend the availability of Urban Organics produce to consumers at co-ops and grocery stores across the upper Midwest.

The healthy, low-carbon-footprint, hyper-local organic produce will be introduced in May at Hy-Vee supermarkets in Eagan and Savage, and will be available at various co-ops including Seward, Wedge and Lakewinds.

The new blends, sold in 5-ounce recyclable post-consumer plastic clamshells, include:

 “We’re proud to expand our greens offerings — thanks to the tremendous positive response to our first urban farm launch three years ago,” says Kristen Haider, co-founder, Urban Organics. “By farming vibrant produce and sustainably-raised fish in the heart of the city, our aquaponics operations create a new way to connect urban consumers with nutritious, great-tasting food. People love a clear line to the food they consume—knowing it was produced locally, with limited water use and no pesticides, and they love the flavor and texture of fresh greens harvested in Minnesota, even in the dead of winter. Our new blends offer something for every palate.”

Urban Organics farms fish and produce using aquaponics, a closed-loop system that combines aquaculture (raising fish indoors in tanks) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil). This technology uses only 2 percent of the water consumed by traditional agriculture, as water from the fish tanks is used to fertilize the plants, which filters the water so it can be returned to the fish tanks again. Urban Organics is fully certified by the USDA as an organic farm, and uses an integrated pest management to secure the growing environment.

The company has partnered with global water system designer Pentair, whose expertise has allowed Urban Organics to increase its scale and fulfill the promise of a business highlighted by The Guardian as one of the most innovative urban farm projects in the world. The 87,000 square foot Schmidt farm will provide 275,000 pounds of fresh fish and 475,000 pounds of organically grown produce annually.