Major strides have been taken towards sustainable and affordable food production with the opening of the world’s first large-scale vertical berry farm in Richmond, Virginia.
This groundbreaking venture, a collaboration between Plenty Unlimited and Driscoll’s, aims to alleviate global food demands by producing strawberries indoors year-round.
The Plenty Richmond Farm, equipped with advanced vertical farming technology, features 30-foot-tall towers capable of growing over four million pounds (1.8 million kg) of strawberries annually.
This is done within a compact space of just 3,700 square meters, significantly lesser than traditional strawberry farming, which requires vast land and is often hindered by seasonal and environmental challenges.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin expressed enthusiasm about the project’s potential, saying, “Plenty’s farm will boost local agriculture production and drive economic development, all while diversifying against risks and protecting the environment. We look forward to supporting their innovative approaches to revolutionizing the industry.”
Unlike conventional farming, the vertical farm’s controlled environment allows for the optimization of temperature, light, and humidity.
This ensures consistent, peak-season flavor strawberries all year round. The farm’s proprietary software and AI technology analyze millions of data points daily to fine-tune growing conditions, maximizing efficiency and yield.
The initiative is the result of extensive research and trials conducted over six years by global teams from renowned institutions.
This research aimed to perfect the growth of strawberries indoors, achieving yields and quality previously thought impossible in greenhouses.
For instance, Paul Gauthier, a Professor of Protected Cropping, managed to produce three times the expected yield by modifying the growing environment.
Notably, the Richmond farm uses 97% less land and up to 90% less water than traditional farming.
The elimination of pesticide use and the reduced risk of pathogens due to a controlled environment also contribute to the sustainability of this agriculture method.
Driscoll’s CEO, Soren Bjorn, highlighted the benefits of the collaboration, saying, “By combining our 100 years of farming expertise and proprietary varieties with Plenty’s cutting-edge technology, we can deliver the same consistent flavor and quality our customers love—now grown locally.
This new innovative farm is a powerful step forward in continuing to drive category growth in new ways for our customers and consumers.”
The farm’s strategically convenient location allows it to supply fresh produce within a one-day drive to more than 100 million consumers, potentially reducing food miles and waste.
Such local production could revolutionize food accessibility and sustainability.
Looking forward, the first strawberries from the Plenty Richmond Farm are anticipated to hit grocery store shelves by early 2025.
This milestone marks a significant advancement in climate-agnostic agriculture, paving the way for diversified and scalable crop production that can ensure a stable food supply in the face of global environmental challenges.