Upward Farms launches first organic vertical farm

New facility enables Upward Farms to increase production of its USDA Certified Organic microgreens and baby greens by 20 times through next generation technology

Brooklyn, N.Y. — Upward Farms, the revolutionary aquaponics vertical farming company, announced the opening of its new headquarters today. Check out THIS e-book with imagery of the farm and microgreens.

Located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York, the innovative new facility utilizes the Company’s next generation technology in both commercial production and research and development. The operation, powered by breakthrough end-to-end automation, is USDA Certified Organic, making Upward Farms the first and only Certified Organic vertical farm in the Northeast region. It includes a fishery that is Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch “Best Choice” rated, and it sustainably farms mercury-free, antibiotic-free and hormone-free striped bass. Upward Farms ready-to-eat microgreen mixes are currently available in all Brooklyn Whole Foods Market locations and are expected to be available in all New York City Whole Foods Market locations in the coming months.

“Upward Farms’ new facility successfully scales our vertical farming model. Controlled environments and ecological farming are not at odds, but are powerful compliments for the next generation of farming. We’re delivering higher yields, disease resistance, safety, and sustainability in a platform that can be deployed anywhere in the world, regardless of climate,” said Jason Green, Upward Farms Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder. “The pandemic underscores the importance of shoring up supply chains to be more local for transparency, safety and efficiency. Localized produce is especially important from a food safety standpoint. As vertical farms scale, we can create a supply chain that’s fundamentally more resilient than shipping produce around the country, if not around the world.”

As consumers continue to gravitate toward fresh, organic produce and purchase more groceries online, Upward Farms offers consistent product availability, quality and scalability for locally grown greens. According to the Organic Produce Network, US organic produce sales rose by 14% in 2020 compared to 2019, outpacing growth in conventional produce and highlighting the increased demand in a post-COVID world for organic fresh produce.

Previously sold under the brand names Seed & Roe and Edenworks, Upward Farms microgreens are a best-selling product in the salad category where sold. Two Upward Farms’ microgreen blends — Mighty Microgreens Mix and Spicy Microgreens Mix — will soon be at Whole Foods Market stores across New York City.

The Company anticipates further growth to answer demand in the US Northeast and beyond. The Company has raised approximately $150 million to date from investors that include Prime Movers Lab, Tribe Capital, and strategic investors from the food, agriculture, and consumer packaged goods spaces.

ABOUT UPWARD FARMS

Based in Brooklyn, Upward Farms was co-founded in 2013 by Jason Green, a neuroscientist and biotechnologist, Ben Silverman, a designer of high performance buildings, and Matthew La Rosa, an innovator in manufacturing and construction. Upward Farms’ breakthrough approach to indoor agriculture melds these diverse talents — whole ecosystems that were a paradigm shift in productivity and scalability compared to status quo production methods dependent upon synthetic chemicals. Upward Farms — then Edenworks — initially launched in Brooklyn grocery stores, including Whole Foods Market. Reconnecting eaters with flavorful, nutritious, local food, the greens quickly earned consumer loyalty to become the salad category leader where sold. Upward Farms has attracted investors and top talent thanks to its 20-year vision to create a sustainable future for the food system by advancing the importance of the microbiome in both indoor and outdoor agriculture. Visit us at www.eatupwardfarms.com.