Last week Plenty planted its first commercial batch of strawberries in the Plenty Richmond Farm. As The company works toward its first harvest in early 2025, it has finalized a strategic shift that's been underway for the past couple of years: focusing on strawberries. As a result, the company has made the decision to close its Compton leafy greens farm.
In a statement, the company says: "We've been incredibly fortunate to have strong advocates for Plenty and vertical farming in Compton Mayor Emma Sharif, the City Council and countless community members. We were welcomed into the community from day one and have been proud to hire many members of our team from the City of Compton. We hope that our team's engagement with local schools has helped spark a greater interest in STEM and shown students the wide variety of future paths in STEM that are possible.
"Our Compton team has worked tirelessly to overcome the inevitable challenges of a first-instance farm. They solved new problems in agriculture and engineering, pioneering running an automated, technology-based farm. And they brought agriculture back to Compton, proving the positive impact vertical farming can have on communities. We're incredibly proud of what our Compton team achieved and the delicious greens we put into local markets."
Plenty's future is in growing strawberries because they fill a supply gap, provide a locally grown product with peak-season flavor year-round, and command a premium price. While most vertical farms are limited to lettuces, Plenty spent the past decade designing a modular growing system flexible enough to support a wide variety of crops. That advanced technology, coupled with our close partnerships, makes Plenty positioned to succeed in strawberries.
Source: Plenty
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