Kalera, one of the world’s leading hydroponic indoor vertical farming companies, is celebrating its first harvest of lettuce and microgreens at its new, Aurora, Colorado-based farm located at 18000 E 40th Avenue. The nearly 90,000-square-foot facility will provide Coloradans with 15 million heads of locally grown, nutrient dense greens every year.
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Beginning today, Kalera produce will be available in 200 King Soopers stores located throughout the Denver metropolitan area.
“We are excited about the early performance of Kalera’s ‘Mile High’ vertical farm and offering the Colorado market clean, nutritious and locally-grown greens,” said Curtis McWilliams, interim CEO of Kalera. “We look forward to extending our footprint beyond the inner mountain west and are eager to see the positive changes the farm will bring to the region’s agricultural and economic environment.”
Using climate-controlled environments and sustainable farming methods such as water recycling and plant nutrient formula optimization, Kalera farms grow ultra-clean, non-GMO, nutrient-dense greens without the use of harmful sprays or chemicals.
“Colorado residents share key values with Kalera, sustainability and nutrition being at the forefront, making our Denver farm an ideal addition to the region,” said McWilliams. “We are eager to see our lettuce and microgreen varieties on shelves and look forward to the relationships we will create with local businesses.”
The farm will provide locally grown greens and microgreens to Colorado residents year-round in a region that has a traditionally short growing season. Kalera growing cycle is about 4 weeks for lettuce providing 13 growing seasons a year.
“Kalera operates locally, making it an accessible brand that allures a varied consumer base,” said McWilliams. “Urban communities across the globe are in dire need of clean, locally-grown produce that does not deplete precious resources, and Kalera offers just that.”
Kalera currently operates farms in Orlando, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, Munich and Kuwait with five farms under construction in Seattle; Columbus, Ohio; Honolulu; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Singapore.