Indoor vertical-farming company Kalera will distribute its leafy greens to 40 Trader Joe’s stores throughout Texas. All varieties are grown at Kalera's Houston facility as part of the company’s commitment to providing locally grown produce to urban areas with traditionally short growing seasons.
Trader Joe’s shoppers in the Lone Star State can find Kalera’s leafy greens in Krunch, Butter and Frisée whole-head-sized varieties in the produce aisle at a suggested retail price of $2.99.
Kalera’s current distribution encompasses grocery stores across the U.S. and worldwide. The company’s products are also sold in Kroger locations in the Houston and Dallas metropolitan areas, and in H-E-B locations throughout Texas. This year, Kalera has grown its retail store count by 25% versus 2021, and is on pace to surpass 40% growth by the end of the year.
“The Trader Joe’s consumer base is undeniable, as the store is well-known for its low prices on quality, exclusive foods,” said Jim Leighton, President and CEO of Orlando, Fla.-based Kalera. “At Kalera, we pride ourselves on innovatively growing nutritious, affordable and accessible greens, making our expansion into Trader Joe’s an excellent decision for our consumers.”
Using climate-controlled environments and sustainable farming methods such as water recycling and plant nutrient formula optimization, Kalera farms grow ultra-clean, non-GMO, nutrient-dense greens without the use of harmful sprays or chemicals. Kalera’s 86,000-square-foot Houston-based facility is the largest vertical-farming facility in Texas and produces 10 million leafy greens annually. The company also operates farms in Orlando, Atlanta, Denver, Munich and Kuwait, with five farms under construction in Seattle; Columbus, Ohio; Honolulu; St. Paul, Minn.; and Singapore.
With more than 500 stores in 40-plus states, Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe’s is No. 27 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 4 and San Antonio-based H-E-B is No. 16 on PG’s list.