Ahold Delhaize Bets on Vertical Farming Technology

10/6/2020

Ahold Delhaize USA Bets On Vertical Farming Technology

Evergreens says that it "brings fresh produce to you unshackled from the supply chain of conventional farming — and fully pesticide-free — so that you can go from supermarket to salad quicker, healthier and more sustainably."

Retail Business Services, the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA, has named vertical-farming technology startup Evergreens Farms the winner of its supply-chain innovation pitch competition.

Evergreens and four other organizations participated in the Supply Chain Seed startup immersion program hosted by Retail Business Services and Venture Café. Over 10 weeks, startups worked with mentors to increase their retail industry IQ and built critical relationships with Ahold Delhaize USA companies. The program culminated in a pitch competition, where Evergreens emerged as the startup with the most viable technology, according to a panel of retail and venture capital experts.

Burlington, Massachusetts-based Evergreens, led by Ahmad Zameli, pitched a solution to provide vertical-farming technology to produce anywhere, regardless of climate, and deliver consistently high-quality product year-round.

“The supply-chain seed program was incredibly helpful in accelerating our business forward in our path to commercialization,” said Zameli. “The relationships we have forged with the different Ahold Delhaize USA companies, and the conversations we had, helped us refine our targeting and deployment strategy, as well as forge key relationships with leaders in the industry. The progress we made over the past 10 weeks fast-tracked our path to bringing safe, fresh, locally produced fruits and vegetables to the New England grocery market and beyond!”

Learn more about the other participating finalists: End2End Solutions, GoWheels!, NanoThings and Produce Pics.

“New ideas and innovations are important to the supply chain industry now more than ever in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic,” said Chris Lewis, EVP of supply chain at Retail Business Services. “We were inspired by each of these companies that presented compelling technologies for the future of supply chain, and we congratulate Evergreens Farms on this recognition.”

Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, is the parent company for Ahold Delhaize’s U.S. companies, consisting of Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Co., Hannaford, and Stop & Shop, as well as e-grocer Peapod; Retail Business Services, a U.S. support services company providing services to the brands; and Peapod Digital Labs, its e-commerce engine. Operating more than 2,000 stores across 23 states, Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.