80 Acres Farms Opens in Kentucky

HAMILTON, Ohio, September 14, 2023 (Newswire.com) - This week, 80 Acres Farms opened its largest, most advanced, and most productive farm, a 200,000-square-foot facility in Boone County, Kentucky.

Positioned to serve customers across multiple states and markets, the farm can grow up to forty million servings of produce per year, using the company's proprietary hardware and software solutions to operate more efficiently than ever before. The farm is about three times the size of the company's previous largest farm and at least four times as productive.

"There is nothing like this anywhere else in the world," said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear during a preview tour on Tuesday. "I am so proud that this level of technology, where advanced manufacturing meets farming is right here in Kentucky."

Built inside a former printing facility, the farm is a $95 million investment in Kentucky that will create 125 jobs in the state. With this opening, 80 Acres Farms will be able to reach many more restaurants and retailers, including the approximately 700 new Kroger stores announced last month. The farm will also support the company's new grab-and-go salad kits.

"To support our expansion into new markets and new products, we need more capacity," said 80 Acres Farms CEO and co-founder Mike Zelkind. "That said, this is a lot more than just capacity. This is our most efficient farm yet, allowing us to keep improving our unit economics and keep growing this company sustainably."

The farm runs on 80 Acres Farms' proprietary Loop platform, developed by the company's tech-focused subsidiary, Infinite Acres. Encompassing crop management software, algorithms, environmental controls, robotics, and automation, Loop is supported by partnerships with leading international technology companies.

"It's exciting to witness the growth of 80 Acres Farms," said Ruth Gratzke, President of Siemens Smart Infrastructure USA, who spoke at the farm's grand opening on Wednesday. "Siemens is a proud supplier of both hardware and software solutions at the farm. We are looking forward to helping 80 Acres Farms expand even further across the U.S. and the world, making their goal of worldwide food security a reality."

With the completion of the Kentucky farm, 80 Acres Farms' construction team can turn its attention to Georgia, where the company will open another 200,000-square-foot farm in 2024.

About 80 Acres Farms

80 Acres Farms, a vertical farming leader based in Hamilton, Ohio, operates indoor farms built with world-class technology and analytics by the company's tech-focused subsidiary, Infinite Acres. 80 Acres Farms grows and delivers a variety of pesticide-free harvests that last longer at home and exceed the highest standards in food safety. Consumers can find the company's greens, herbs, fruits, and vegetables at retailers including Kroger, Whole Foods, and The Fresh Market, and foodservice distributors including Sysco and US Foods.

Source: 80 Acres Farms