Thanks to a successful indoor-growing operation and detailed training program, Square Roots has already helped to nurture the urban-farming revolution in New York City. To take their model a step further, Square Roots has partnered with Gordon Food Service, allowing the grower to expand by establishing farm campuses nationwide in close proximity to Gordon’s distribution centers. This will enable year-round growing of herbs, greens, and more, and make these products available to Gordon Food Services customers.
Update, March 26: Square Roots says that it’s first campus farm will be on the site of Gordon Food Service’s headquarters in Wyoming, Michigan.
This effort marks the first significant expansion to new locations for Brooklyn-based Square Roots, where it has spearheaded a year-long farmer training program, enabled by the company’s scalable “farmer first” technology platform. (The training educates young farmers on plant science, food entrepreneurship frameworks, and engaging local communities.) The Square Roots and Gordon Food Service partnership also comes at a time when many consumers are desiring to support local food providers, while seeking transparency in food sourcing.
“This partnership means we will grow delicious, local real food at huge scale,” said Tobias Peggs, co-founder and CEO of Square Roots. “We’re so happy to be working with a mission-aligned partner in Gordon Food Service — leveraging technology to bring real food to a huge number of people across the country, while delivering real social impact by empowering thousands of young people to become our country’s future farmers.”
Gordon is one of the country’s leading food-service providers with distribution operations spanning North America, along with 175 retail locations across the U.S.
