The top indoor farming brands and companies listed here are growing food in cities and suburbs to help feed local communities by providing fresh greens and produce. Leafy greens are certainly the most popular plants to grow since they grow quickly and are profitable, but some of these companies also grow herbs (basil is common), and flowering varieties like tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, and peppers.
The technologies that are used also vary significantly, and I’m sure they all have their own proprietary plant varieties and genetics for each type of plant they grow. Some of the below companies are indoor farming companies, while others are vertical indoor farming companies that try to have the smallest footprint possible – which is a major advantage in cities where land is expensive.
Bowery Farming
Bowery is the big kid on the block, as the Top Indoor Farming Brand and Company. It is the largest vertical farming company with farms in New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania and it’s headquarters is in New York City. It is a venture capital backed start-up that was founded by Irving Fain, who previously founded CrowdTwist. CrowdTwist is a loyalty and customer retention SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) product that was sold to Oracle for $100 million. No wonder Bowery is the biggest vertical farming company. With that kind of funding to start, and investments from celebrities like Natalie Portman, Bowery was bound to grow quickly; both business-wise and plants-wise.
Village Farms
Village Farms is Canadian company that grows tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and botanicals in it’s greenhouses. Village Farms also has some interesting projects that use landfill gas to heat their greenhouses and then also use the carbon dioxide that is a by-product of the combustion of the landfill gas to increase yields in the greenhouse. More carbon dioxide means the plants have more reactants to synthesize.
Gotham Greens
Gotham Greens is an indoor farming company, but technically not a vertical farming. Many of their greenhouses are on the rooftops of old warehouses, but some are even on the top of grocery stores. They specialize in the production of locally-grown, premium-quality greens and herbs. The company has several greenhouse facilities in the New York City area, where it uses sustainable, state-of-the-art technology to grow its crops. The company’s products are sold at supermarkets and restaurants throughout the New York City area.
Vertical Harvest
Vertical Harvest is a vertical farming company that grows fresh produce in a multi-level greenhouse in an urban environment. The company was founded in 2013 in Jackson, Wyoming, and it uses advanced technology and sustainable growing practices to produce high-quality, locally-grown produce year-round. Vertical Harvest’s produce is sold to local supermarkets, restaurants, and other retailers in the area. The company’s goal is to provide fresh, locally-grown produce to communities that may not have access to it otherwise, and to reduce the environmental impact of traditional agriculture.
Vertical Roots
Vertical Roots is a vertical farming company that uses advanced technology and sustainable growing practices to grow fresh produce in a controlled, indoor environment. The company was founded in 2016 in Charleston, South Carolina, and it focuses on growing a variety of leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens. Vertical Roots sells its produce to local supermarkets, restaurants, and other retailers in the area. The company aims to provide communities with access to fresh, locally-grown produce and to reduce the environmental impact of traditional agriculture.
Plenty
Plenty is a company that specializes in the production of locally-grown, high-quality produce using sustainable, high tech indoor farming technology. The company was founded in 2013 by Matt Barnard, Nate Storey, and Eric Ellenbogen, and it is based in San Francisco, California. Plenty uses advanced hydroponic and aeroponic growing systems to grow its crops in vertically stacked layers, allowing it to produce a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in a smaller land footprint than traditional farming methods. The company’s produce is sold at supermarkets and restaurants throughout the United States.
AeroFarms
AeroFarms is a company that specializes in the production of low food miles, high-quality produce using indoor farming technology. The company was founded in 2004 by Ed Harwood, and is based in Newark, New Jersey. They largely produce greens and micro-greens and are the first vertical farming company to become a certified B corporation, and they have a community farming program to teach people about indoor farming.
AppHarvest
AppHarvest is a company that operates large-scale, high-tech greenhouses for growing fresh produce. The company was founded in 2017 in Morehead, Kentucky, and it uses advanced technology and sustainable growing practices to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables in a controlled, indoor environment. In addition to operating greenhouses, AppHarvest also works with farmers to help them adopt sustainable growing practices and technologies.
Dream Harvest
Dream Harvest is similar to most of the other vertical farming companies in both mission and name, but it has much snappier (and funnier) branding. Examples of their product names are “You Butter BeLeaf It” and “Lettuce Romain Calm”, so they obviously are near and dear to my heart.
Square Roots
Square Roots is a company that specializes in urban farming, using hydroponic technology to grow fresh, local produce in shipping containers. The company was founded in 2016 by Tobias Peggs and Kimbal Musk, and is based in Brooklyn, New York. Square Roots grows a variety of leafy greens and herbs using hydroponic systems, which allow plants to be grown using a nutrient-rich water solution instead of soil. The company’s produce is sold at supermarkets and restaurants throughout the New York City area.
Upward Farms
Upward Farms is a vertical farming company that grows fresh produce in a controlled, indoor environment using advanced technology and sustainable growing practices. The company was founded in Brooklyn, New York, and it focuses on growing leafy greens and herbs. Upward Farms sells its produce to local supermarkets, restaurants, and other retailers in the area. The company aims to provide communities with access to fresh, locally-grown produce and to reduce the environmental impact of traditional agriculture. Upward Farms also works with local schools and community organizations to promote education about sustainable agriculture and healthy eating habits.
Grow Pod (GP) Solutions
GP Solutions specializes in Shipping Container Farms and Equipment. Grow Pod Solutions is a company that provides turnkey vertical farming solutions, including design, construction, and installation of vertical farming systems. The company was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas, and it offers a range of products and services for commercial and residential customers looking to grow fresh produce in a controlled, indoor environment. Grow Pod Solutions uses advanced technology and sustainable growing practices to help customers grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs year-round. The company’s goal is to make it easier for people to grow their own fresh produce and to reduce the environmental impact of traditional agriculture.
Smallhold
Smallhold is a company that specializes in growing mushrooms indoors in controlled environments. If a mushroom farm inside of a shipping container is too big for your business (like a restaurant, farm stand, or whatever), but you still want to have freshly grown mushrooms on site, then consider the bookshelf-like mushroom farms from Smallhold. Growing mushrooms on-site ensures that the mushrooms are super fresh and in abundant supply.
El Fin – Top Indoor Farming Brands and Companies
Indoor farming is a growing industry that uses advanced technology and sustainable growing practices to produce fresh produce year-round in a controlled, indoor environment. There are many brands and companies that are involved in this industry, including Bowery Farming, AeroFarms, Plenty, Vertical Harvest, Green Spirit Farms, FarmedHere, Local Greens, Indoor Harvest, iFarm, and Urban Crop Solutions. These companies use a variety of techniques, such as vertical farming and hydroponics, to grow a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and herbs in urban and suburban areas. Indoor farming has the potential to revolutionize the way we produce and consume fresh produce, providing communities with access to locally-grown, high-quality produce and reducing the environmental impact of traditional agriculture.
