Edible Garden AG Incorporated, a leader in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), organic and sustainable produce, and developer of the Zero-Waste Inspired® mission and Farm-to-Formula® platform announced that it has begun shipping what the Company believes to be the CEA industry’s first verified USDA Organic basil to Wakefern Food Corp. for distribution to participating ShopRite stores as part of an exclusive program. The expanded distribution comes ahead of Labor Day weekend, a period of increased demand for fresh herbs driven by grilling, entertaining and seasonal meal preparation, and provides ShopRite shoppers with access to fresh, certified organic basil grown using Edible Garden’s controlled environment agriculture platform and localized supply-chain model.
Edible Garden’s USDA Organic basil is grown in a controlled environment designed to provide greater consistency, quality and year-round availability while reducing reliance on long-distance supply chains. The basil is produced in accordance with USDA National Organic Program standards and independently verified by an accredited organic certifier.
“Bringing what we believe is the CEA industry’s first verified USDA Organic basil to Wakefern and participating ShopRite stores through this exclusive program represents an important expansion of our organic fresh herb offering and reflects our continued focus on innovation within the category,” said Jim Kras, Chief Executive Officer of Edible Garden. “Our goal is to give consumers the combination of organic integrity, freshness, and locally grown convenience they increasingly seek. Launching this product ahead of Labor Day also gives ShopRite shoppers a differentiated fresh herb option at a time when families are gathering, grilling, and preparing meals together.”
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“Wakefern and its supermarket members have built a strong reputation for delivering fresh, high-quality products to their customers, and we are proud to expand our relationship with them. The program utilizes Wakefern’s backhaul logistics network, allowing our products to be picked up as part of existing transportation routes, which is designed to enhance supply-chain efficiency, reduce unnecessary food miles and further support our Zero-Waste Inspired® mission. We believe this program demonstrates the value of our controlled environment agriculture platform and localized distribution capabilities, while creating additional opportunities to grow our presence with major retail partners,” concluded Mr. Kras.
SOURCE: Edible Garden
