Soon, Chicagoans will have another option when it comes to buying locally grown tomatoes in the dead of winter.
BrightFarms, a New York-based company with a new 160,000-square-foot hydroponic greenhouse in Rochelle, about 80 miles west of Chicago, made its first shipment of greens to Mariano's stores over the weekend. Next come tomatoes in the fall. BrightFarms represents the latest massive greenhouse operation to seize upon growing demand for year-round locally grown produce in the Chicago area.
The competition's growing fiercer. MightyVine, also in Rochelle, is building a second greenhouse that will double its operation after booming sales and rave reviews of its tomatoes from some of Chicago's top chefs this past winter. Gotham Greens, a New York-based hydroponic grower of leafy greens with a greenhouse in the Pullman neighborhood, recently expanded into Jewel-Osco stores, adding to its rapidly growing presence in Chicago-area markets.
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