Bristol Farms to Feature Plenty Greens Exclusively in SoCal

Specialty grocer will offer indoor vertically grown produce for 1st time

9/23/2022

According to Plenty, its patented and patent-pending platform uses a fraction of the land and water to grow up to 350 times more produce per acre than conventional farms.

Ahead of opening its Compton, Calif., farm, Plenty Unlimited Inc. is expanding to Southern California in partnership with upscale grocer Bristol Farms. Outside of local markets in the Compton area, Plenty leafy greens are now available in Southern California exclusively at Bristol Farms stores for the rest of the year. This is the first time that Bristol Farms has offered indoor vertically grown produce.

“At Bristol Farms, we pride ourselves on being the go-to shop for the best-tasting, freshest produce items on the market,” noted Scott Wiggans, produce director for Carson, Calif.-based Bristol Farms. “Plenty is a great example of a mission-driven brand that is focused on unique agricultural innovation. This makes them a great fit for Bristol Farms. For the last 40 years, we have been leading the industry in providing our customers with the highest-quality and most flavorful products available, and we look forward to bringing local indoor vertical farming to our customers.”

Plenty’s pesticide-free leafy greens consist of such selections as Baby Arugula, Baby Kale, Crispy Lettuce and Mizuna Mix, the last a unique blend of baby bok choy and Japanese mustard greens. The greens are now available in the produce department’s packaged greens area at all Bristol Farms locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange and Santa Barbara counties.

“We are excited to begin our expansion to Southern California and have Bristol Farms introduce Plenty’s delicious, pesticide-free produce to its shoppers,” said Dana Worth, SVP of commercial at South San Francisco, Calif.-based Plenty. “We can and will stabilize our food system with the help of committed partners like Bristol Farms and discerning consumers who take pride in what they eat.”

The greens sold at Bristol Farms will initially come from Plenty’s South San Francisco farm, but will soon shift to local greens from Compton.

According to Plenty, its patented and patent-pending platform uses a fraction of the land and water to produce up to 350 times more produce per acre than conventional farms. The company operates the largest-of-its-kind indoor plant science research facility in Laramie, Wyo., and is currently constructing what it describes as the world’s most advanced vertical, indoor farm in Compton and the world’s largest indoor vertical farm campus near Richmond, Va.

Bristol Farms operates 14 stores in Southern California. Its latest concept, the 34,000-square-foot Bristol Farms Newfound Market at Irvine Spectrum Center, showcases gourmet ingredients, local and global offerings, and innovative dining experiences, all in one place. Bristol Farms is an independent operator within the Good Food Holdings family of brands. A subsidiary of Emart (which is part of The Shinsegae Group, a global retailer in Seoul, South Korea), Carson-based Good Food Holdings is also the holding company for four other food retailing brands: Metropolitan Market, Lazy Acres Natural Market, New Seasons Market and New Leaf Community Markets.