Selinsgrove, PA – BrightFarms, the leading supplier of locally grown salads for supermarkets, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new 250,000 sq. foot greenhouse in Snyder County, Pa. on Monday, May 20.
Dozens gathered at the construction site before attending a celebration at Susquehanna University, including Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, Senior Vice President of Merchandising John Ruane, Vice President of Fresh Dave Lessard, Director of Floral and Produce Chris Keetch and Category Manager Matt Novosel from GIANT Food Stores, and President and CEO of the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce Bob Garrett.
“This is not just a big deal for Pennsylvania, it’s a big deal for jobs and for the community, but I would add that it’s also a big deal for the consumer. At the end of the day, we’re in the food business and making sure that they are happy and that we have access to their tables is critical,” Redding shared during the celebration.
BrightFarms also used the opportunity to thank GIANT for their longstanding partnership and commitment to doing business with local farmers and food processors. Amid rising consumer demand for locally grown produce, BrightFarms will serve as a key partner for GIANT, which operates nearly 180 stores across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
“BrightFarms has long been one of our valued supplier partners and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of their new greenhouse in Snyder County. Each week, thousands of GIANT customers purchase BrightFarms’ fresh greens and this new facility will help them continue to do so, ensuring we deliver on our promise to deliver the very best local produce available. We are proud to do business with BrightFarms and look forward to doing so for years to come,” said Ruane.
The Food Marketing Institute’s 2019 Power of Produce report found that local produce matters to 84% of consumers, and 44% of them specifically seek it out and buy it whenever possible. That same report also found that produce is the number one driver for consumers when it comes to selecting their grocery store of choice.
“We have developed a year-round local salad program with GIANT and their efforts to source from local farms is remarkable. They are truly taking a consumer-centric approach to meeting the needs of their produce shoppers,” said Abby Prior, Vice President of Marketing at BrightFarms.
The greenhouse, which is scheduled to open in early 2020, will deliver fresh, local produce to Pennsylvania supermarkets within 24 hours of harvest. For more information on BrightFarms, visit https://www.brightfarms.com.
###
About BrightFarmsBrightFarms is the No. 1 brand of locally grown packaged salads, serving the freshest, tastiest and most responsibly grown produce to consumers nationwide. BrightFarms operates hydroponic greenhouse farms in the communities it serves, enabling it to eliminate time, distance, and costs from the food supply chain. BrightFarms’ growing methods, a model for the future of scalable, sustainable local farming, use far less energy, land and water than long distance, field-grown agriculture. Fast Company has recognized BrightFarms as “One of World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” and one of the “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Food” in the world. For more information, please visit www.brightfarms.com.
