GLOBAL – Little Leaf Farms, a US based established Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) brand, has been ranked the top best-selling packaged lettuce in New England.
According to Nielsen data, Little Leaf Farms has seen a 46% increase in total dollar sales year on year and is now capturing 20% of all packaged lettuce sales in New England.
The achievement marks the first time a Controlled Environment Agriculture based brand has surpassed conventional field-grown brands in any region.
CEA is an advanced and intensive form of hydroponically based agriculture where plants grow within a controlled environment to optimize horticultural practices.
Recent professional research insights by Business Landscapes outlines that the global Controlled-Environment Agriculture market size was valued at USD 84350.35 million in 2022 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 13.53% during the forecast period, reaching USD 180641.32 million by 2028.
However, despite this highly promising projection, there have been doubts on whether pursuing indoor farming as a business can be a lucrative venture.
“Growing upwards indoors can bypass so many of the problems related to traditional farming, but the huge energy costs required to power vertical farms make them a deal-breaker,” highlighted Washington Post columnist and co-host of the Climavores podcast Tamar Haspel, during a recent episode on vertical farms, with co-host Mike Grunwald.
Statistically, there are more than 2,000 vertical farms in the US growing produce such as lettuce, herbs, and berries.
Market leaders such as Plenty, Bowery, Kalera and AeroFarms which operate 365 days a year regardless of weather conditions, and sprawling greenhouses from companies like AppHarvest and Gotham Greens believe they are part of the solution.
During the announcement Chris Hill, Chief Revenue Officer at Little Leaf Farms revealed that the brand seeks to expand the markets of their exceptional lettuce to even more consumers by expanding to Pennsylvania.
“We believe that we are creating a better eating experience and that our industry leading freshness and quality, along with our ability to engage with new consumers, will continue to drive exciting growth for our customers as we enter new markets,” Hill broadcasted.
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