California-based Plenty Unlimited Inc. will create 300 jobs at $300 million campus in Chesterfield County Virginia
Plenty Unlimited Inc. today announced it has secured up to 120 acres of land in Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield County, Virginia to build the largest, most advanced indoor vertical farm campus in the world.
The centrally located Plenty Richmond Farm Campus marks Plenty’s expansion beyond the U.S. West Coast and will bring fresh, healthy produce to the East Coast year-round.
Plenty plans to deploy several large-scale vertical farms on the campus in the coming years, with a potential annual production capacity exceeding 20 million pounds across multiple crops including strawberries, leafy greens and tomatoes.
Plenty CEO – Arama Kukutai
“Through more than a decade of investment in research and development Plenty has cracked the code on a scalable platform that makes indoor farming increasingly economical,” said Arama Kukutai, CEO of Plenty. “That innovation makes it possible for us to grow a wide variety of crops with a fraction of the land and up to 350x more yield per acre than conventional farms. Channeling that into the largest vertical farm complex in the world propels us to the level indoor farming has to operate at to truly transform our food system.”
The campus’ first farm will grow Driscoll’s strawberries, and be the first in the world to grow indoor, vertically farmed berries at scale. The farm is designed to grow more than 4 million pounds of strawberries annually, helping to meet growing demand for flavorful, fresh berries in the Northeast, the largest berry consumption region in the U.S. Plenty has broken ground on the farm and the first crop of Driscoll’s strawberries grown by Plenty will be available in winter 2023-2024 at retailers throughout the Northeast.
“This farm will combine Driscoll’s patented berry varieties with Plenty’s patented indoor vertical farming technology,” said J. Miles Reiter, Driscoll’s Chairman and CEO. “We are excited to take the next step in the journey to understand what it takes to bring fresh, flavorful berries locally grown all year-round.”
The Plenty Richmond Farm Campus will expand over time to include farms growing additional produce, such as Plenty’s signature pesticide-free leafy greens, using Plenty’s patented platform. Plenty’s controlled indoor growing environments optimize produce for flavor, texture and size by tailoring nutrients, water and light to the needs of each individual plant. Through this advanced technology and customized approach, Plenty can produce yields of up to 350x more per acre, using a fraction of the water, compared to conventional farms.
“Plenty’s decision to establish its first major east coast vertical farming campus in Virginia shines a spotlight on the advantages that make the Commonwealth the best location in the nation for companies growing our food safely and sustainably indoors,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This transformational project further bolsters Virginia’s agriculture and technology industries and positions the Commonwealth as a leader in this next generation of agriculture. I am pleased to welcome Plenty to Virginia and look forward to the company’s growth and success in Chesterfield County.”
“Bringing the world’s largest indoor vertical farming facility to Chesterfield is a tremendous success for the county,” said Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Chairman Chris Winslow. “Indoor vertical farming is a growing and important way to bring fresh, locally grown products to consumers throughout the year and Plenty Unlimited is the national leader in this field. We could not be more pleased to welcome them to Chesterfield.”
Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors Chairman – Chris Winslow
Over the next six years, $300 million will be invested into the new campus, which is slated to bring more than 300 jobs to Virginia. For more information about future career opportunities at the Plenty Richmond Farm Campus, please visit www.plenty.ag/careers.
About Driscoll’s
Driscoll’s is the global market leader of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 100 years of farming heritage, Driscoll’s is a pioneer of berry flavor innovation and the trusted consumer brand of Only the Finest Berries™. With more than 900 independent growers around the world, Driscoll’s develops exclusive patented berry varieties using only natural breeding methods that focus on growing great tasting berries. A dedicated team of agronomists, breeders, sensory analysts, plant pathologists and entomologists help grow baby seedlings that are then grown on local family farms. Driscoll’s now serves consumers year-round across North America, Australia, Europe and China in over twenty-two countries.
About Plenty
Plenty is rewriting the rules of agriculture through its technology platform that can grow fresh produce anywhere in the world, year round, with peak-season quality and up to 350x more yield per acre than conventional farms. Plenty’s proprietary approach preserves the world’s natural resources, makes healthy produce available to all communities and creates resilience in our food systems against weather, location, pests and climate. Plenty operates the largest of its kind indoor plant science research facility in Laramie, Wyoming, and is currently building the world’s most advanced, vertical, indoor farm in Compton, California, and the world’s largest indoor vertical farm campus near Richmond, Virginia.
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CONTACT
Chesterfield Economic Development
Contact: Matt McLaren
Email: mclarenm@chesterfield.gov
