One characteristic the company is proud of is its impressive employee retention rate. Among their 1,500 employees, there are more than a few individuals who have been with Village Farms Fresh since the company was founded in 1989. Two employees who have been with Village Farms for over 26 years and are responsible for the company’s farms in British Columbia and Texas are Dirk de Jong and Arie van der Giessen. Both have an interesting history with the company since they immigrated together from their home country of the Netherlands, the birthplace of high-tech greenhouse agriculture, to the USA. They both coincidentally also come from a long line of greenhouse growers. This growing legacy is what Village Farms Fresh is known for and helps guide the next generation of growers in the company while fueling innovation.

Dirk de Jong, Vice President, Regional Facility Manager in BC, Canada, recalls, “I was raised in a greenhouse. My mom and dad had a small family farm, and along with my brothers and sisters, we all pitched in to do everything that was needed in the greenhouse. I learned from an early age what it takes to run a business. I have been around plants and greenhouses since I could first walk. Today, I do not see my job as work because I enjoy what I do every day immensely.”

Arie van der Giessen, Vice President, Regional Facility Manager for Marfa & Fort Davis, Texas, tells a similar story. His father had a small farm, and he remembers always being in the greenhouse from the time he was a child. He says he has always enjoyed being in this type of environment and describes it as “his passion.” He adds, “I get paid for my hobby.” Arie also notes, however, “Back in the early days, we did not have the convenience of the automation we have today in greenhouse growing, and this has evolved tremendously, creating efficiencies in labor, plant health, and food safety.”

One such innovation is an AI tool used to predict optimum climate conditions in the greenhouse for autonomous growing by Crop Controller Blue Radix. This technology helps in precisely controlling the greenhouse environment, optimizing temperature, humidity, and light conditions to maximize plant health and yield while minimizing resource use. This cutting-edge tool exemplifies Village Farms Fresh’s commitment to integrating advanced technology to enhance sustainable agricultural practices.

Village Farms Fresh’s focus on innovation is not limited to technology alone. The company actively engages in sustainable practices, such as water recycling systems and integrated pest management, reducing the environmental footprint of their operations. By implementing such practices, Village Farms not only boosts efficiency but also ensures that their farming methods are environmentally responsible. Village Farms Fresh was recently recognized as a “Giga Guru” by its valued retail partner Walmart as part of their carbon reduction initiative called Project Gigaton.

Moreover, the company’s dedication to its employees is reflected in its comprehensive training programs and career development opportunities. These programs aim to equip employees with the skills needed to excel in modern greenhouse management, emphasizing both traditional agricultural knowledge and the latest technological advancements. This holistic approach ensures that the workforce remains competent, motivated, and aligned with the company’s vision of sustainable and innovative agriculture.

Village Farms Fresh’s story is one of growth, innovation, and community. From its roots in the Netherlands to its expansive operations across North America, the company continues to lead the way in high-tech greenhouse agriculture. With a strong foundation built on the expertise and dedication of its employees, Village Farms Fresh is well-positioned to continue its legacy of producing high-quality produce while embracing the future of farming.

For more information about Village Farms Fresh please visit www.villagefarmsfresh.com

About Village Farms Fresh

Village Farms Fresh, a wholly owned subsidiary of Village Farms International, Inc. (Nasdaq: VFF), is one of the largest growers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow is all harvested by hand from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily while utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms Greenhouse Grown® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms Fresh has been guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms Fresh is Good for the Earth® and good for you. Good for the Earth® and Garden Fresh Flavor® are not only taglines for the company but the value proposition Village Farms Fresh lives by.  And this is why it Takes a Village® to deliver on this promise.

“Village Farms Fresh is honored to partner with Military Makeover on this series in support of Infantry Sergeant Colón-Ruiz, an outstanding veteran and exemplary human being. Our company has deep roots in Texas, with a team that was profoundly inspired to help with this veteran’s surprise home renovation,” said Micheal DeGiglio, President & CEO of Village Farms International. Mr. DeGiglio is a veteran himself who served in the U.S. Navy as an officer and jet aviator, as well as in the Naval Air Reserves, and retired at the rank of Captain.

During Colón-Ruiz’s military career he was deployed to Afghanistan where he suffered serious injuries in the line duty. He was awarded the prestigious purple heart by then President George W. Bush and received an Infantry Badge and Army Commendations medal.

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Michael and his entire team at Village Farms Fresh. Their support of our show helps us provide these life changing makeovers for our deserving Veterans and we’re grateful to have had them on Military Makeover,” said Scott Moss, President & EVP of Programming for Military Makeover and BrandStar Entertainment.

A group of Village Farms Fresh employees who reside in the Dallas Fort Worth area, where the company has a Distribution Center, volunteered their weekend to help in the renovation of the veteran’s home. The company has a history of giving back to communities in Texas and feels a strong affinity to helping veterans, not to mention has several veterans in the company, including one who volunteered that day to help with the renovation.

Brandon Jamison, Director of Quality Assurance for the company and Army veteran who served in Iraq, had this to say, “The military taught me a work ethic and a need for a sense of mission completion. Village Farms Fresh giving back to those that are deserving and have made sacrifices for our country is something I am proud to be a part of.”

Village Farms Fresh’s heritage as a long-standing continuously owned tomato greenhouse grower in the country and largest tomato producer in the Great State of Texas was discussed by DeGiglio with show co-host Art Edmonds during this episode.

The afternoon of volunteer work would not have been complete without a Texas style bar-b-que in the backyard of the veteran’s home cooked up by a local chef while the teams finished up their efforts. The Village Farms Fresh volunteers and Military Makeover crew devoured the food served featuring local produce grown at the company’s environmentally friendly Texas greenhouses. Juicy Beefsteak® tomatoes were the main course of a scrumptious BLT sandwich. While a mouth-watering Caprese salad was served featuring Sinfully Sweet Campari® tomatoes. Yummy Heavenly Villagio Marzano® tomatoes were grill-roasted then slathered in chimichurri sauce. All made for a tasty and productive afternoon of Village Farms Fresh’s giving back.

The heartfelt mission of the day on this volunteer weekend left a feel-good impression for all who attended. The company gifted the family handpicked items for their new kitchen including a huge basket of Village Farms produce along with culinary accompaniments for the family to prepare their favorite healthy dishes. Taylor DeLeon, Quality Control and Sales Administrator for the company, who was a volunteer that day and helped with the staging of these items in the veteran’s new kitchen had this to say, “It was a joyful afternoon full of grit and fun. I am proud the company championed this valuable effort to help a well deserving veteran who gave to his country so selflessly”.

Socially responsible initiatives such as this partnership with Military Makeover showcasing Village Farms Fresh’s giving back to the communities it serves, and especially veterans, have always been important to the company in their Great Home State of Texas. To view the episode please click on link below: https://militarymakeover.tv/village-farms-texas-style-bbq-at-the-home

To learn more about Village Farms and the company visit www.villagefarmfresh.com.

About Military Makeover with Montel®

A BrandStar Original, is America’s leading branded reality TV show that offers hope and a helping hand here on the home front to members of our military and their loved ones. A veteran of both the Marine Corps and the Navy, talk show legend and military advocate Montel Williams, who creatively co-produces the show along with a colorful cast that seeks to transform the homes and lives of military families across the country. The cast includes co-hosts Art Edmonds and designer Jennifer Bertrand. This special series enlists caring companies of all sizes as well as non-profits and the local community. Military Makeover airs on Lifetime® and on the American Forces Network which serves American servicemen and women, Department of Defense and other U.S. government civilians and their families stationed at bases overseas, as well as U.S. Navy ships at sea. Help starts at home for veterans on Military Makeover. Join us as our makeover team engages to change the living situation – and the lives – of these deserving families.

About BrandStar

We’re matchmakers; connecting People to Brands to Do Life Better. BrandStar has unparalleled experience in creating customized educational content for brands with laser targeted extensive distribution through their multi-channel network ecosystem and methodology. From Original television programming on Lifetime, BrandStar.tv, social media, digital marketing, to media management and PR; BrandStar helps brands connect with the right consumer, at the right time, with the right message, through all the right channels.

About Village Farms Fresh

Village Farms Fresh, a wholly owned subsidiary of Village Farms International, Inc. (Nasdaq: VFF), is one of the largest growers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow is all harvested by hand from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily while utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms Greenhouse Grown® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms Fresh has been guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms Fresh is Good for the Earth® and good for you. Good for the Earth® and Garden Fresh Flavor® are not only taglines for the company but the value proposition Village Farms Fresh lives by. And this is why it Takes a Village® to deliver on this promise.

Future Food-Tech today announced an exclusive innovation challenge with The Kraft Heinz Company, culminating at the flagship Future Food-Tech San Francisco summit on March 16-17. The challenge seeks innovative solutions to unleash the power of tomatoes, delivering on taste, sustainability, nutrition, convenience and/or affordability.

The Innovation Challenge

Kraft Heinz is interested in a wide range of solutions including ingredients, processing, and packaging technologies, as well as finished products, and companies are encouraged to have proof of principle and prototypes. Start-ups are invited to apply before Friday January 20, 2023, and can find additional information on the challenge at https://futurefoodtechsf.com/innovation-challenge/.

Three finalists will be selected to pitch their innovative solutions to Kraft Heinz judges in front of a global audience of food brands, corporations and investors at the Future Food-Tech San Francisco summit on March 16-17, 2023, and the winning start-up will be revealed by Kraft Heinz live on stage. The finalists will also be invited to attend both days of networking and insights at the summit and will benefit from considerable brand visibility to Future Food-Tech’s global network.

The innovation challenge winner will receive extensive development opportunities, including coaching and expertise from Kraft Heinz North America that may encompass technical, regulatory, innovation, marketing, scale-up and distribution guidance, as well as access to Kraft Heinz facilities for on-site support.

Commenting on the challenge, Maxine Roman, New Ventures & Disruptive R&D Lead at Kraft Heinz, said: “At Kraft Heinz, we have the ambition to lead the future of food, and we can’t do it alone. We’re accelerating innovation and growth by bringing in outside expertise to augment what we can do. Kraft Heinz has deep roots in cultivating high quality tomatoes for our iconic brands, and in this challenge, we’re asking food-tech innovators to help us inspire the future of this critical ingredient. What else can we do to make tomatoes better for consumers and our planet?”

The Insights Webinar

On Tuesday, December 13 at 8 AM PST, Maxine Roman and Erin Wahal, Head of Research and Development – Taste, Meals, and Away from Home at Kraft Heinz, will sit down with the Future Food-Tech team to provide additional information about the Innovation Challenge. The free and interactive webinar will explain the drivers behind the challenge, the organization’s approach to partnerships, and tips for start-ups to differentiate their applications. Webinar registration is open at www.crowdcast.io/c/kraft-heinz-innovation-challenge.

Full details of the Future Food-Tech summit in San Francisco, with program, speaking faculty and registration can be found at: www.futurefoodtechsf.com

A team from the Lake Mary corporate office comprised of employees from the Village Farms and Village Farms Fresh divisions spent a morning assembling nutritious meals for children at the Second Harvest Food Bank’s Mercy Kitchen location.  In total 7500 meals were assembled for children.  In combination with the volunteer effort Village Farms Fresh is currently running a virtual food drive on their social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram, as part of Second Harvest Food bank “Hope of the Holidays” program where each $10 donation funds 40 meals.

According to Helen L. Aquino, Director of Brand Marketing & Communications for Village Farms Fresh, “It was a fun and engaging experience to be part of Mercy Kitchen’s day-to-day process and for us as a company to give back in this small way through a morning of volunteering. Super happy we prepared healthy and balanced children’s meals that included an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetable”.

According to their website, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a private, nonprofit organization that collects, stores, and distributes donated food to more than 625 feeding partners in seven Central Florida counties. Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia and Marion. Last year, with the help of numerous donors, volunteers and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributed enough food for 81 million meals to partner programs such as food pantries, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, senior centers, day care centers and Kids Cafes.

With a mission to create hope and nourish lives through a powerful hunger relief network, while multiplying the generosity of a caring community, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s vision of inspiring and engaging community to end hunger and help neighbors thrive is one Village Farms Fresh is honored to take part in.  For more information about Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and their efforts to fight hunger please visit their website at www.feedhopenow.org For more information about Village Farms Fresh visit www.villagefarmsfresh.com

About Village Farms Fresh

Village Farms Fresh is one of the largest growers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow are all harvested by hand from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms has been guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds the growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms is Good for the Earth® and good for you. Good for the Earth® and Garden Fresh Flavor® are not only taglines for the company but the value proposition Village Farms Fresh lives by.  And this is why, it Takes a Village® to deliver on this promise.

Sensational Sara®, Heavenly Villagio Marzano®, Sinfully Sweet Campari®, Cabernet Estate Reserve®, Maverick Mix®, Cherry no. 9®, Lip Smackn’ Grape® these are just some of the distinctive exclusive specialty tomato varieties Village Farms Fresh is known for.  And as the largest farm of Texas Grown greenhouse tomatoes in the state they are proud to offer all of their greenhouse grown varieties in a number of pack sizes to suit customer and consumer needs while driving category sales.

According to Arie Van Der Giessen, lead farmer and facility manager of all Village Farms Fresh Texas farms located in Permian Basin, Fort Davis, and Marfa, “Everyday is a new day when it comes to growing in extreme climates”. 

“Our spring crop is looking very healthy and vibrant and our newest variety Sensational Sara® is thriving with the sunny days and cooler night temperatures typical for this time of year.   If you have not tried Sensational Sara® you should, her flavor is exceptional, one of the best I have encountered in my all my years of growing tomatoes.  She is the perfect balance of sweet and acid with lots of juice.  She is great to cook with too, my whole family enjoys this tomato.  Plus her sturdy green vine is a perfect match to her true red color inside and out”, Arie tell us.

Village Farms Fresh will be featuring these varieties and more including the new mini sweet pepper Cheeky Sweets® at the VIVA Fresh expo so be sure to stop by to say hello to the team that will be at the show.

Steve Poklemba, Director of Global Supply Chain Management for company told us VIVA Fresh is the show to be at in Texas for fresh produce.  “I have participated in this show from the beginning and the team is excited to be back face to face in person with everyone. VIVA always puts on a great event and we are proud to be featured as a prominent local grower for Texas”. 

Other team members who will be at the expo are Eric T. Janke, EVP Sales & Marketing; Lyra Vance, Director Strategic Business & Sales Development; Carlos Flores, Manager Distribution Sales & Fulfillment; Brandon Jamison, Director Quality Assurance; and Taylor De Leon, Quality Control & Sales Administration

For more information on Village Farms Fresh please visit our website at www.villagefarmfresh.com

About Village Farms

Village Farms is one of the largest producers, marketers, and distributors of premium-quality, greenhouse-grown fruits, and vegetables in North America. The food the company’s farmers grow are all harvested from environmentally friendly, soil-less, glass greenhouses daily utilizing the highest level of food safety standards available. The Village Farms® brand of fruits and vegetables are marketed and distributed primarily to local retail grocers and dedicated fresh food distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Since its inception, Village Farms is guided by sustainability principles that enable the company to grow food 365 days a year that not only feeds a growing population but is healthier for people and the planet. Village Farms is Good for the Earth® and good for you.

This workshop is perfect for novice growers and will be packed with tons of critical information. You will get access to numerous lecture materials, personal question follow-ups, hands-on applications, a certificate of completion, and tons of knowledge! The last day to purchase tickets is January 2nd, 2022.  

Click here to register!

View the 2022 UA-CEAC Hydroponic Tomato Intensive Schedule.

What you get:

• Access to lecture materials that have been crafted from CEAC’s research and educational programs and fine-tuned over the last 10 years.

• Personal question follow-ups

• Certificate of completion

• Tons of knowledge!!!

Limited seats are available for both in-person and online attendance. For more information visit ceac.arizona.edu/events or email us at arizona.ceac@gmail.com

January 7th-9th (Friday-Sunday) both in-person and online

This workshop, taught by Dr. Triston Hooks, is perfect for novice growers and will be packed with tons of critical information and research discoveries that UA-CEAC has assembled into their courses and programs for over 20 years. You will get access to numerous lecture materials, personal question follow-ups, hands-on applications, a certificate of completion, and tons of knowledge! 

Click here to register!

View the 2022 UA-CEAC Hydroponic Tomato Intensive Schedule.

Limited seats are available for both in-person and online attendance.

For more information visit ceac.arizona.edu/events or email us at arizona.ceac@gmail.com

Researchers at University of California-Riverside are using CRISPR technology to develop miniature tomato plants for production in vertical farms and on the International Space Station.

What crops come to mind when you think of vertical farm production? Leafy greens, microgreens and herbs are likely the most common answer. How about tomatoes?

University of California researchers Robert Jinkerson and Martha Orozco-Cárdenas are using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to develop short tomato plants that have the potential to be grown in vertical farms and on the International Space Station. Orozco-Cárdenas initially used CRISPR technology to reduce the size of normal tomato plants, including the number of leaves and stems, without significantly reducing the size and yield of the fruit.

“The tomatoes originally were under investigation by my collaborator Dr. Orozco-Cárdenas, who is director of the UC-Riverside Plant Transformation Research Center,” Jinkerson said. “I was touring her research facility and saw tomato plants that were fruiting in vitro. The plants were incredibly small. I thought these tomatoes would have a lot of different applications, particularly for NASA. We also determined that the tomatoes could be well suited for vertical farming. It started out as a basic science project investigating gene function and we expanded it to look toward other applications where genes could be mutated to control plant architecture for vertical farming and for space flight applications.

“For the first iteration, Dr. Orozco-Cárdenas took an existing dwarf tomato plant variety and used CRISPR gene editing to further shrink the plants. Currently we are working on using the CRISPR technology to stack more mutations on top of the original variety. We are also performing gene editing in a commercial indeterminate variety to determine if we can alter the plant architecture and size so that they would be suitable for vertical farm production.”

Limits to plant size

Jinkerson said the CRISPR gene-editing technology can be used to create mutations that affect the inflorescence, number of flowers and branching architecture. Initially plant size was the trait the two researchers were interested in changing, but Jinkerson said he has expanded the studies to include the impact on fruit size and yields.

“We are looking primarily at how we can grow the plants to the smallest size and still produce the highest fruit yield to maximize the harvest index,” Jinkerson said. “The harvest index is the amount and weight of the fruit vs. the weight of the total plant biomass, including the fruit. If there was 100 percent fruit then the harvest index would be 100 percent. But because plants need leaves, stems and roots, the harvest index can’t be 100 percent.

“There is a point where the plant becomes so small that there are not enough leaves to perform photosynthesis and the plant won’t be able to support the fruit that it is trying to produce. This is something we have to keep in mind as we try to balance the plant size and how much vegetative biomass is needed to produce the fruit. Currently we are investigating this relationship. We think we are starting to hit the lower limit of size where we cannot make the plants much smaller without negatively affecting the fruit yields.”

Overcoming vertical farm limitations

Jinkerson’s tomato research is being funded by a $450,000 New Innovator grant from the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research. Even though Jinkerson’s background is in engineering and algae, he saw the potential that vertical farming could have on future food supplies.

“Most commercial crops are grown outdoors and there really are not any restrictions on size,” he said. “For vertical farming there is a lot of work that needs to be done to customize crops for this new production environment. For instance, the plants can only be a certain size and should have a quick production time to reach harvest. They should also be very efficient with the way they utilize artificial light for photosynthesis because electricity for lighting is one of the largest operating costs.”

Part of the FFAR grant is for Jinkerson to work with commercial growers to determine how the short tomatoes that are developed work in their production systems.

“We are interested in finding commercial growers who are operating vertical farms or a commercial partner who can help trial and evaluate the lines that we have already produced and future lines we will be developing,” he said. “Another aspect of the research grant is to take other tomato varieties and try to optimize their architecture for vertical farms in order to have a greater variety of fruit that can be grown in these systems.”

Although Jinkerson does not have a vertical farm set up at the university, he is trialing the plants in a greenhouse and a controlled environment room equipped with fluorescent lights.

“The grow room with fluorescent lighting that we are using is not like a high tech vertical farm equipped with LEDs,” he said. “The plants have been grown with a photon flux of a few hundred μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ PAR at a 16 hour photoperiod. The temperature and humidity have been maintained at normal room conditions. We haven’t tried to optimize environmental conditions for plant growth yet. We haven’t pushed the plants under any extreme conditions, but these are future areas of research we are interested in exploring.”

Jinkerson and his students are also collecting data related to the amount of light that is needed for the plants to flower and fruit under artificial light.

“We have fruit yield data,” he said. “We have done a lot of calculations on fruit yield per volume. This is an important metric for vertical farms. With our data we can estimate what type of yields we could expect with the plants. Depending on the vertical spacing distance, the yield per volume for the plants we have developed could be anywhere between 1.5 to three times higher compared to greenhouse yields.”

Future crops for vertical farms, space travel

While Jinkerson’s current research is focused on tomatoes he said there is the potential to apply the gene-editing technology being developed to other vertical farm crops.

“We are going to start with other Solanaceae crops, including peppers, eggplant and potatoes,” he said. “We think that many of the findings we have identified with tomato will be able to translate to these other crops because they are closely related to tomato.”

Part of the research on the tomatoes is being funded by NASA and will be used to conduct a seed-to-seed experiment in space.

“The goal is to grow tomato plants on the International Space Station to fruit and have the astronauts harvest the seed,” Jinkerson said. “The astronauts will then take the seed and grow them for the next crop to have them fruit again. This process is essential in order to have a sustainable crop system for food production. This has never been demonstrated before with tomatoes on the space station.”

The astronauts are currently producing leafy greens on the space station.

“There is very limited physical space on the space station so trying to maximize the harvest index is essential,” Jinkerson said. “This is a very good analog for vertical farms on Earth. With leafy greens the astronauts are able to eat everything but the roots, making these plants perfect for space travel. However, NASA is interested in growing other crops in space. There is an experiment planned for peppers coming up in the next year and our experiment with tomatoes in the next two to three years. Just like vertical farm growers on Earth, astronauts will be trying to produce different types of crops in space.”

For more: Robert Jinkerson, University of California-Riverside, Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department; robert.jinkerson@ucr.edu; http://jinkersonlab.engr.ucr.edu/.

This article is property of Urban Ag News and was written by David Kuack, a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas.

The recent pandemic has left all of us, regardless of the generation, with time to evaluate the environmental impact of our daily lifestyle practices. Choosing greenhouse grown produce provides some assurance of environmental stewardship.  Yet, ditching plastic straws will not be enough to keep our planet safe from the harm that plastic and other harmful waste can inflict. And people are beginning to understand they have the power to do more by purchasing food products that are packaged sustainably. 

Compared to Boomers, Millennials followed by Gen X, and then Gen Z, are more cognizant of the impact that their purchasing decisions have on society according to a recent report by the Hartman Group.  And at the same time, the World Economic Forum reports every year more than 400 million tons of plastics are discarded worldwide and only 14-18% is recycled.  During the pandemic there was a heightened concern for food safety, especially regarding unpackaged foods. Packaging helps to keep produce items safe and aids in what retailers refer to as reducing ‘shrink’, that also comes at a huge cost of doing business. In turn, packaging can reduce food waste which also comes at a huge cost to the environment. So, the need to protect our food and increase its shelf life with packaging is still relevant and necessary today.

The challenge to find environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic has increased in urgency. Sustainable packaging solutions that ensure the safety and shelf life of a product are also key. Village Farms has been working for several years now to develop and test packaging that can remain out of landfills. The recently launched Sensational Sara tomato was the debut of one such solution for the company.

Sensational Sara tomatoes are packaged in an innovative 1lb environmentally friendly box that is biodegradable and recyclable. The clear window film is made from a natural cellulose material that is certified home compostable.  The film can be easily peeled away and tossed in your backyard compost pile or community compost bin. The remaining paper board box can be recycled in your regular cardboard/paper recycling stream. A QR code on pack guides consumers through this simple process of separating the film from the box.  Helen L. Aquino, Director of Brand Marketing & Communications for Village Farms tell us. “The Pandemic also brought about a resurgence in the use of QR codes for touchless restaurant menus, and Dr. office intake forms, etc.  At the same time the technology caught up to functionality by simple act of opening your camera and pointing it at the code to scan, vs. using a dedicated app.  Both circumstances drove an increased use in QR codes.  This makes QR code the perfect vehicle for providing recycling information without taking up added packaging real estate for this important information”.

Village Farms is thrilled to offer this environmentally responsible packaging option for the debut of its unique newest tomato variety Sensational Sara in a 1lb box.  Village Farms is also offering this box for their 1lb Maverick Mix tomatoes, a lovely mix of specialty tomatoes in assorted shapes and sizes. They are hoping this type of packaging will gain further momentum with their retail partners. Aquino also mentioned, “We have a number of retailers showing interest and some with sustainability initiatives already in place giving preference to suppliers that can deliver on protecting the environment and sustainable packaging is one way such way.”

To grow healthy and delicious food for human consumption is a huge responsibility. Village Farms is continuing this trend with packaging that is healthy for the planet as well.  The company’s innovative packaging solutions are keeping waste out of landfills, harmful gas out of the atmosphere, and keeping minds at ease knowing they are making a difference for the Earth.  Village Farms is committed to feeding an evolving and growing world population while preserving the planet.  The company’s cutting-edge greenhouses use less water, land, and chemicals to grow more food.   Village Farms’ innovative Controlled Environment Agriculture growing methods pave the way to curtail climate change. To find out more about Village Farms and their sustainability efforts visit their website at www.villagefarms.com and read about their Good for the Earth platform. 

Village Farms is pleased to take part once again in the annual effort with Produce for Kids, and its valued retail partner Publix, in support of Feeding America.  Feeding America is the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, that helps 1 in 7 Americans and provides 4.3 billion meals annually to those facing hunger or are food insecure.  The Healthy Family Project’s, Produce for Kids campaign will be providing 700,000 meals through 31 Feeding America Foodbanks within the Publix communities.  The campaign launched May 19, 2021 in Publix stores and online and will run over the next several weeks ending June 16. Village Farms has been a proud sponsor of the Produce for Kids campaign for over a decade.

Village Farms signature tomato, Heavenly Villagio Marzano, a mini-San Marzano snacking tomato will be featured on Produce for Kids point of sale signage displayed in Publix stores as well as banners online announcing Village Farms as a sponsor.  Product signage will feature a recipe and QR code that shoppers can scan to download free E-Cookbook featuring Village Farms’ recipes for a Burrata & Tomato Hand Pies and a Skillet Chicken with Tomatoes and Green beans that both use the Heavenly Villagio Marzano tomato. The recipes will also be highlighted in social media posts to more than 300,000 followers.

New to the campaign this year on The Produce for Kids website is a showcase of the sustainability practices of each campaign sponsor. Village Farms is highlighting its Clean Energy initiative where landfill gas is used as energy for its greenhouses and creates clean air the citizens in the greater Vancouver, CA area. This powerful messaging creates a link for consumers to help them better understand how their personal food choices can impact not only giving back to the community but by supporting brands that protect or improve the overall environment and by doing so that they are doing good for our planet. 

Helen L. Aquino, Director Brand Marketing & Communication said, “We are happy to be able to support this great endeavor again this year with the Healthy Family Project during a real time of need in our country. Feeding America serves every community in the US, so their impact is tremendous. And Our Good for the Earth sustainability story is a wonderful platform for this message now, especially as more and more people are focused on plant-based diets and are looking to increase their intake of healthy fruits and vegetables”.

For more information about Village Farms please visit www.villagefarms.com

Company’s initial harvesting from flagship Morehead, Ky. facility meeting operating and financial expectations

New project developments in Richmond and Berea, Ky. on schedule and budget

MOREHEAD, Ky. — AppHarvest, Inc. (NASDAQ: APPH, APPHW), a leading AgTech company, public benefit corporation and Certified B Corp focused on farming more sustainably using up to 90% less water than open-field agriculture and only recycled rainwater, today announced operating and financial results for its first completed quarter as a public company for the quarter ending on March 31, 2021.

First Quarter 2021 Highlights

• $2.3 million net sales in first quarter harvesting, meeting expectations
• 3.8 million pounds of tomatoes sold
• $4.5 million gross loss driven by launch of commercial operations, sales and training new labor force
• $28.5 million net loss compared to $0.8 million in the prior year period in 2020
• $12.4 million adjusted EBITDA loss compared to initial expectation of loss of $14.0 million to $16.0 million amid rapid scaling of the business
• $297.7 million cash and cash equivalents at the end of Q1

Results

AppHarvest, which started trading on Nasdaq on February 1, generated $2.3 million in net sales in the first quarter 2021 as it began harvesting from its initial high-tech indoor farm in Morehead, Ky., representing 3.8 million pounds sold with the farm only partially planted as the facility ramped up.

“At our flagship farm in Morehead, Ky., our expert growers have ramped up production of the full 60 acres as of the first week of May,” said AppHarvest Founder and CEO Jonathan Webb. “The team is putting in place the right infrastructure for growth, taking employment from around 20 a year ago to 500 by the end of the first quarter. We plan to move ahead on two more projects this summer which will put us at five operating farms by the end of 2022, and we are well on track for 12 farms by the end of 2025.”

Development and Financing

AppHarvest is currently operating one high-tech indoor farm that is expected to produce more than 40 million pounds of tomatoes annually, with plans to build a network of 12 high-tech farms by the end of 2025. Two more high-tech farms are now under construction—one in Berea, Ky. designed to grow leafy greens, and another in Richmond, Ky. planned for tomatoes. Four more projects are slated for development, and two of those are scheduled to begin construction in the second quarter of this year.

AppHarvest purchased its flagship Morehead farm in March, giving it the ability to leverage the asset at attractive financing rates to fund more development. The company has finalized key terms for a 60% loan-to-value financing transaction for the Morehead facility at an expected interest rate of around 4 to 5%, which is expected to close in the second quarter. The company also is in negotiations for approximately $200 million of development financing for large-scale projects.

Technology

In April, the company acquired Root AI, an artificial intelligence and robotics company, and its workforce with experience in controlled environment agriculture—creating the AppHarvest technology group dedicated to making controlled environment agriculture more efficient. Chief Technology Officer Josh Lessing, Root AI’s former CEO, is leading the effort to build a digital operating model for farming with AI at its core that can manage a global network of facilities to execute complex supply chain strategies autonomously with higher returns. Based on its modeling, the company expects its investment in technology to drive both top and bottom-line results at its Farm of the Future facilities, and the technology investments are expected to raise annual run-rate adjusted EBITDA for a future 60-acre vine crop facility by approximately $7 million.

Sales and Distribution

AppHarvest has a long-term distribution agreement with Mastronardi Produce to sell all USDA Grade No. 1 tomatoes in top retail grocery and food service outlets. Volume now has increased to allow for direct shipping of full truckloads to retail customers such as Kroger and Wendy’s, building on AppHarvest’s existing relationship with Mastronardi.

Grocers and consumers increasingly are requesting U.S.-grown and chemical pesticide-free produce from companies they trust. Despite that, in 2019, more than two-thirds of vine crops for the U.S. market were imported.

“We want every AppHarvest tomato they can grow,” said Mastronardi Produce President and CEO Paul Mastronardi. “We have high demand for U.S.-grown and pesticide-free produce already, and when you combine that with the taste, color and freshness of the AppHarvest model, on top of their social mission, it’s driving our customers to ask for more.”

Financial Outlook

The company reiterated its full-year 2021 outlook of net sales of $20 to $25 million. The company updated its full-year outlook for adjusted EBITDA loss to $48.0 million to $52.0 million from a prior range of a loss of $43.0 million to $45.0 million, driven by the Root AI acquisition and other planned investment in growth.

In light of the technology investment combined with the latest view of operational performance, the company raised long-term illustrative performance on adjusted EBITDA for a 60-acre Farm of the Future producing tomatoes from $15.8 million per year, as previously presented during its Analyst Day event last December, to $23.3 million per year, resulting in a potential 17% to 23% ROIC on an unlevered basis. Further, with improved access to non-dilutive capital, the long-term illustrative performance on a leveraged basis, assuming a 60% loan-to-value, could result in 43% to 58% ROIC.

“We are pleased by our fast start to the year, the encouraging operating and financial performance of our Morehead facility and our team’s ability to scale the business. We are concentrating on executing our growth plan as we build additional facilities, funding our investments with non-dilutive capital and delivering long-term shareholder value,” said AppHarvest President David Lee.

Conference Call and Webcast

Management of AppHarvest will host a webcast and conference call to discuss its first quarter 2021 financial results and operations today at 8:30 a.m. ET. The Company will post a supplemental slide presentation in the Investor Relations section of the AppHarvest website at investors.appharvest.com to accompany the conference call. Participation instructions for the live event and replay are as follows:

Live webcast and conference call

• Webcast: Accessible at investors.appharvest.com
• Dial-in: 1-833-665-0607 (Domestic Toll Free) / 1-929-517-0397 (Toll/International)
• Participant Entry Number: 7618198

Conference Replay*

• Webcast: Accessible at investors.appharvest.com
• Dial-in: 1-855-859-2056 (Domestic Toll Free) / 1-404-537-3406 (Toll/International)
• Conference Number: 7618198

*Available approximately two hours after the end of the conference call through May 24, 2021.

About AppHarvest

AppHarvest is an applied technology company in Appalachia building some of the world’s largest high-tech indoor farms that grow non-GMO, chemical pesticide-free produce using up to 90% less water than open-field agriculture and only recycled rainwater while producing yields up to 30 times that of traditional agriculture on the same amount of land with zero agricultural runoff. The company combines conventional agricultural techniques with cutting-edge technology including artificial intelligence and robotics to improve access for all to nutritious food, farm more sustainably, build a more reliable domestic food supply, and increase investment in Appalachia. The company’s 60-acre Morehead, Ky. facility is among the largest indoor farms in the world. For more information, visit www.appharvest.com.

Carson, CA — NovaCropControl, an industry-leading research and testing centre based in the Netherlands, has completed its independent study evaluating the impact of chemical-free nanobubble enriched irrigation water on tomato fruit growth, pathogen control, and nutrient uptake.

In a side-by-side study, NovaCropControl irrigated plants with technology provided by Moleaer, the global leader in nanobubble technology. Plants irrigated with Moleaer’s nanobubbles had:

• More efficient nutrient uptake and water usage
• Improved capillary root development
• Increased resilience to high heat
• Reduced Pythium levels of up to 80%

The study also showed plants irrigated with Moleaer nanobubble enriched water produced a 9% increase in fruit weight without sacrificing nutrient content or BRIX value (grams of sucrose). 

Tomatoes provide a rich source of vitamins A, C, K, and minerals, including iron and phosphorus, making them one of the most popular and valuable crops grown in greenhouses. 

Moleaer’s patented nanobubble technology is installed at over 200 horticulture facilities, enabling growers to enhance existing irrigation water, promote beneficial bacteria, suppress pathogens and diseases, and increase nutrient uptake.

Moleaer delivers these results by providing a consistent flow of nanobubbles to the plant’s roots to maintain high oxygen levels in irrigation water and deep water culture (DWC) systems. Increased root zone oxygenation through nanobubbles increases plant nutrient uptake. The outcome is healthier, more resilient plants, increased crop yields, and decreased time to cultivation.

“We know that improving water quality through increasing sufficient oxygen levels are important for plant health and crop resilience. Our trial confirmed that Moleaer’s oxygen-filled nanobubbles are a very efficient method of delivery,” said Koen van Kempen, Consultant, NovaCropControl Research Center.

“Nanobubbles are a complex science, but this latest third-party research demonstrates in the simplest of terms the value nanobubbles provide to our food supply by enhancing water quality, without using chemicals, to improve plant health and resilience to environmental stress, which ultimately leads to increased crop yields,” said Nicholas Dyner, CEO of Moleaer.

For more information, please visit moleaer.com.

About NovaCropControl

NovaCropControl is a research and test centre specializing in plant sap analysis. NovaCropControl aims to provide insight into the plant‘s nutrient uptake with a fast and accurate service based on low cost. To reach that goal, NovaCropControl uses plant sap analyses and, if necessary, in combination with (ISO-17025) accredited drip, drain or substrate water analyses. To learn more, visit: www.novacropcontrol.nl/en/method

About Moleaer

Moleaer^TM is an American-based nanobubble technology company with a mission to unlock nanobubbles’ full potential to enhance and protect water, food, and natural resources. Moleaer has established the nanobubble industry in the U.S. by developing the first nanobubble generator that can perform cost-effectively at municipal and industrial scale. Moleaer’s patented nanobubble technology provides the highest proven oxygen transfer rate in the aeration and gas infusion industry, with an efficiency of over 85 percent per foot of water (Michael Stenstrom, UCLA, 2017). Through partnerships with universities, Moleaer has proven that nanobubbles are a chemical-free and cost-effective solution to increasing sustainable food production, restoring aquatic ecosystems, and improving natural resource recovery. Moleaer has deployed more than 700 nanobubble generators worldwide since 2016. To learn more, visit: www.Moleaer.com 

About nanobubbles

Nanobubbles are tiny bubbles, invisible to the naked eye and 2500 times smaller than a single grain of table salt. Bubbles at this scale remain suspended in water for long periods, enabling highly efficient oxygen transfer and supersaturation of dissolved gas in liquids. Nanobubbles also treat and eliminate pathogens and contaminants of emerging concern as well as scour surfaces to break apart biofilm matrices, creating a powerful, sustainable, and chemical-free disinfectant (Shiroodi, S., Schwarz, M.H., Nitin, N. et al., Food Bioprocess Technol, 2021). 

MOREHEAD, KY — AgTech leader AppHarvest today announced it has delivered 2,500 pounds of Beefsteak tomatoes from its first harvest this week to God’s Pantry Food Bank, which will distribute them to those in need.

Through its 400-plus distribution partners, God’s Pantry Food Bank provides food to residents of 50 Kentucky counties, focused on Eastern and Central Kentucky. The organization, which operates a distribution center in
Morehead — the home of AppHarvest’s 60-acre indoor farm — distributed nearly 14 million pounds of fresh fruits and veggies and more than 41 million pounds of food overall during its most recent fiscal year.

“The faith and grit of Eastern Kentuckians has built one of the world’s largest high-tech greenhouses, and we appreciate the opportunity to share what we’re growing with those in need as we all work to create a resilient
food system,” said AppHarvest Founder & CEO Jonathan Webb in delivering the donated tomatoes on Friday. “We’re working to create America’s AgTech capital here in Appalachia to provide affordable, nutritious and delicious fruits and veggies that will help reduce hunger and food deserts.”

“God’s Pantry Food Bank is thrilled to engage with AppHarvest to nourish more lives through sustainable agriculture,” said CEO Michael Halligan. “There are more than 250,000 kids, adults and seniors across Central and Eastern Kentucky who are not sure when they might have their next meal. Imagine the impact of now having a sandwich with a fresh, Kentucky-grown slice of tomato on the top.”

The donation is one of many steps AppHarvest is taking to address America’s food crisis. In Kentucky alone, 20 percent of children and nearly 15 percent of adults experience food insecurity.¹ Nationally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found only one in 10 adults eat enough fruits and veggies.²

By building closer to consumers, AppHarvest provides fresher fruits and vegetables at affordable prices. The company is also focused on helping students grow their own food through its high-tech educational container
farm program. Started in 2018 prior to the company’s operations commencing at its indoor farm in Morehead, the program retrofits shipping containers with high-tech farming equipment to teach students to grow healthy leafy greens. The program started at Shelby Valley High School in Pike County and has since expanded to Rowan and Breathitt counties, with additional units planned. AppHarvest also recently partnered with Save the
Children to provide more than 1,600 leafy green growing kits to Kentucky kids in need.

“AppHarvest was founded as a benefit corporation and has also been certified as a B Corp by the independent non-profit B Lab, because we believe companies should be in the business of doing good,” said Amy Samples, AppHarvest’s Director of Community Outreach and People Programs. “We’re building America’s AgTech capital from within Appalachia and know that education is core to achieving that.”

Shipments from AppHarvest’s first harvest this week are now available at select national retailers such as Kroger, Publix, Walmart, Food City and Meijer. The company’s Morehead facility alone is expected to produce about 45 million pounds of tomatoes annually from about 720,000 tomato plants, a mix of Beefsteak and “Tomatoes on the Vine.”

AppHarvest has two more facilities under construction—a similar 60-plus acre facility outside Richmond, Ky., and a 15-acre facility to grow leafy greens in Berea, Ky. AppHarvest also is planning for more facilities across Kentucky and Central Appalachia, with the goal of 12 total farms by the end of 2025.

About AppHarvest
AppHarvest is an applied technology company building some of the world’s largest indoor farms in Appalachia. The Company combines conventional agricultural techniques with cutting-edge technology and is addressing key issues including improving access for all to nutritious food, farming more sustainably, building a home-grown food supply, and increasing investment in Appalachia. The Company’s 60-acre Morehead, KY facility is among the largest indoor farms in the U.S. For more information, visit https://www.appharvest.com/.

January 19, 2021 (Morehead, Ky.)—AppHarvest, a leading AgTech company building some of the country’s largest high-tech indoor farms to grow affordable, nutritious fruits and vegetables at scale, has announced that its first-ever harvest— Beefsteak tomatoes from its 60-acre Morehead, Kentucky, flagship indoor farm—will start to roll out in grocery stores this week.

The sustainably grown tomatoes first will be available in select national retailers such as Kroger, Publix, Walmart, Food City and Meijer.

Shoppers will be able to find the Beefsteak tomatoes in the produce aisle, co-branded with Sunset Grown, and the products are expected to be comparable in price to standard tomatoes. AppHarvest’s Beefsteak tomatoes are chemical pesticide-free, non-GMO and are grown with 100% recycled rainwater.

This first harvest occurs as AppHarvest continues expansion plans for additional indoor farms to meet the increasing demand for sustainably grown U.S. produce. The company is preparing to list publicly after the closing of the previously announced business combination of AppHarvest with Novus Capital Corporation (Nasdaq: NOVS) and then will trade on Nasdaq under the ticker APPH.

At ramp-up, AppHarvest’s Morehead facility alone is expected to produce about 45 million pounds of tomatoes annually from about 720,000 tomato plants, a mix of Beefsteak and “Tomatoes on the Vine.” AppHarvest has two more facilities under construction—a similar 60-plus acre facility outside Richmond, Ky., and a 15-acre facility to grow leafy greens in Berea, Ky. AppHarvest also is planning for more facilities across Kentucky and Central Appalachia, with the goal of 12 total farms by the end of 2025.

The AgTech company recently appointed AppHarvest Board Member David Lee as president to manage strategy and operations, while leading the sales, marketing and finance functions as AppHarvest continues to grow as a sustainable fresh foods company. Lee joins AppHarvest from Impossible Foods, where he has served as chief financial officer since 2015 and is credited with significant growth accomplishments including securing more than $1.3 billion in funding to accelerate manufacturing, product development and distribution.

In August 2020, AppHarvest announced that food entrepreneur and icon Martha Stewart and best-selling author and investor J.D. Vance would join the board of directors, alongside Inclusive Capital Partners Founder & Managing Partner Jeffrey Ubben and Rise of the Rest Seed Funds Partner Anna Mason and others committed to transforming the future of agriculture and supporting entrepreneurial efforts in Middle-America.

AppHarvest’s high-tech indoor farms are designed to use 90% less water with yields that are up to 30 times higher compared to traditional open-field agriculture on the same amount of land. Its location in Appalachia allows it to deliver a strong social impact by building a diversified economy in economically distressed areas of the country, while enabling its products to reach about 70% of the U.S. population within a single day’s drive. As a result, AppHarvest expects to deliver fresher fruits and vegetables, ripened on the vine for peak flavor and nutrition, with an 80% reduction in diesel consumption required for transportation, as compared to produce shipped from Mexico.

“As a mission-driven company that prioritizes Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, this first harvest is monumental for our business, and we want to set a benchmark for the industry,” said Jonathan Webb, founder and CEO. “We are determined to build a climate-resilient infrastructure to offer folks a delicious tomato that is sustainably grown right here in Appalachia with 100% recycled rainwater and zero chemical pesticides, making it better for both them and the environment.”

“AppHarvest’s high-tech, sustainable approach is the future of food, and this first harvest allows us to provide consumers with chemical pesticide-free, nutrient-rich, flavorful produce that’s making a difference they can feel good about,” said Martha Stewart, Board Member of AppHarvest. “I’ve been testing the early sample tomatoes, which are delicious, and I’m already looking forward to integrating them into my kitchen and recipes this year.”

For more information on where to purchase AppHarvest products, visit www.AppHarvest.com.