Background
The New York City Metro area is home to over 15 vertical farms and roughly 10 distributors of hydroponic systems and supplies in the market. In 2013, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) published a white paper on the possibilities of building a network of urban growers to feed New York City locals, using vacant buildings and land to advance agricultural technologies, while proving scale.
The research team from the Urban Design Lab at the Earth Institute at Columbia University researched rooftop options, green streets, environmental impact, water remediation, energy needs, and more. The report was a holistic view of implementing urban agriculture in the neighborhoods of New York City and the metro area.
The research team estimated the demand for fruits and vegetables to supply the market. Some of those estimates put into perspective how much food we go through in a community over a year, measured in millions of pounds. Apples came in at 337M, lettuce at 115M; potatoes arrived at 650M, and broccoli at 64M. As for growing all this food, they evaluated materials from tip to tail and meticulously laid out overall supply chain estimates. This project spawned a $9.7B market over 10 years and is expected to continue toward a $20B marketplace.
Company Profiles
Out of this marketplace are 3 hydroponic farms in the New York City metro area. These farms grow in climate-controlled warehouses and sell produce locally to consumers, restaurants, and chefs.
Company Name: Gotham Greens
Industry: Hydroponic Farming
Products and Services: Gotham Greens, founded by Viraj Puri and Eric Haley in 2009, is a leading provider of diverse varieties of salad greens and culinary herbs. Their company platform extends from Davis, California, to New York City. With three locations in New York, their automated operations help improve efficiency and market reach.
Location: The Green Point Wood Exchange Building, New York - Brooklyn Whole Foods - Jamaica Ave, Queens, NY 11423
E-mail: media@gothamgreens.com
Company Name: Farm One
Industry: Hydroponic Farming
Products and Services: Farm One curates microgreens, culinary herbs, and edible flowers for chefs and restaurants. Farm One also utilizes its agricultural products for brewing recipes and other applications.
Web: https://farm.one
Location: 625 Bergen Street in Brooklyn, New York
E-mail: info@farmone.com
Company Name: Redifarms
Industry: Hydroponic Farming
Products and Services: Redifarms is located in the old Handler Manufacturing building. They grow herbs, microgreens, mushrooms, wheatgrass, and more. They also run a year-round online farmstand that supports the community, donates food, and provides jobs to New Jersey locals.
Location: 610 North Avenue East, Westfield, NJ
E-mail: info@redifarms.com
