BrightFarms Chicagoland Greenhouse Makes Inaugural Shipment to Roundy’s

BrightFarms, a startup specializing in local produce, made its first produce shipment from the BrightFarms Chicago Greenhouse in Rochelle, Ill. to Mariano’s Chicagoland stores and Roundy’s Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market stores in Wisconsin.

The greenhouse will grow over one million pounds of salad greens, herbs and tomatoes per year exclusively for Roundy's Supermarkets, Inc. (Roundy’s), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kroger Co. 

A model for the future of local, low-impact farming, the BrightFarms Chicagoland Greenhouse is now the most productive farm in the Chicagoland market, the most sustainable source of year-round baby greens and tomatoes in all of Illinois, and among the most productive salad greens farms, per square foot, in the world. It creates permanent green collar jobs, significantly reduces food miles, and improves the environmental impact, company officials say. 

"Consumers want access to fresh, local produce year-round and we, along with Roundy's, are working tirelessly to meet this demand in the Chicagoland market," says BrightFarms chief BrightFarmer (CEO), Paul Lightfoot. "Produce from our Chicagoland Greenhouse is delivered within 24 hours of harvest and often grown less than 100 miles from where it's sold. That’s a 98 percent improvement from the thousands of miles produce usually must  travel to reach supermarket shelves."

The company's greenhouse encompasses over 160,000 square-feet. It uses 80 percent less water, 90 percent less land and significantly less energy to grow its products than the items it replaces on supermarket shelves. All produce is Non-GMO and pesticide-free.

"We're thrilled that we can offer customers access to fresh lettuces, tomatoes and herbs within 24 hours of harvest," says Bob Mariano, President & CEO of Roundy's. "Together with BrightFarms we're working to improve the food supply chain -- a win for the environment and a big step in the right direction."​