Urban Produce, LLC

History

In January 2014, Urban Produce announced that they would be growing a variety of live organic microgreens shipped with the roots attached available for shipping nationwide. In August 2014, Urban Produce opened their doors in Irvine, California where they currently grow USDA certified organic microgreens, wheatgrass and a variety of specialty leafy greens and herbs in their CEA (Controlled Environmental Agriculture) vertical farm using their patented High Density Vertical Growing System (HDVGS).

Products and Services

Inspired by master chefs, Urban Produce's "superfood" microgreen blends add a colorful, nutritional boosts to any dish. The delicate texture and subtle flavor of the microgreen blends make them a great addition to salads, soups, sandwiches, and smoothies. These microgreens pack four to six times more vitamin C, E, K, and beta-carotene than their mature counterparts of the same varieties. Because the microgreens are packaged live, with their roots intact, they maintain their nutrients and freshness through transport until they are ready to be cut and used. Delivered in a closed clamshell, these microgreens will stay fresh for 30 days in the refrigerator. The High Density Vertical Growing System (HDVGS) unique to Urban Produce is a sustainable food production system that grows produce at high density using specialized LED lighting. The HDVGS uses hydroponic technologies in a controlled greenhouse environment that balances light and air distribution. On a 1/8 acre of land, their patented HDVGS can yield up to 16 acres of produce while using 90% less water, 80% less nutrients, and absolutely no herbicides or pesticides.

Wholesale & Retail

A variety of Urban Produce products are available to restaurants, hotels, resorts, catering companies, hospitals, and other hospitality industry professionals through wholesale distribution companies including Ingardia Bros. Produce, Inc. and LA & SF Specialty Produce. Their products are also available for retail purchase at a number of supermarkets including Albertson's, Fresh & Easy, Gelson's Markets, and Whole Foods. Find a retail market near you using their Store Locator. Urban Produce has also partnered with online grocers specializing in home delivery including Good Eggs and Farmer's Market from Overstock.com.

Technology

Urban Produce combines technology and hydroponics with their patented High Density Vertical Growing System (HDVGS) which requires 90% less water and 80% less nutrients than conventional farms producing similar yields. Their vertical CEA facility allows them to produce living, organic produce year round, in urban cities. By bringing Urban Farms to communities across the nation, they are able to stimulate local economies and create local jobs all while reducing agriculture's carbon footprint and its dependency on oil. The HDVGS's hanging carriers of seeded trays rotate on a conveyor around the growing unit so that each plant receives equal light and air distribution. The product can be grown product in natural or artificial light, above or below ground. In the rotation, the carriers cycle by a station where water and nutrients are dispersed. This entire process is controlled by an intelligent program and can be accessed remotely via the Internet.

Although natural sunlight is the cheapest source available, it is not always attainable in sufficient quantities. LED lights are innovating the world of horticulture and can be used in indoor growing facilities across the world. Their lights are designed for horticultural purposes and are not only lit throughout the growing period of a crop, but can also effectively control the crop's photorespiration and photosynthesis. The spectral output of the LED lights can be customized to provide the optimum 'light recipe' at every stage of a crop's growth. In addition to providing the ideal light frequency for plant growth, LEDs are more energy efficient and helps protect the environment.

Company Mission & Future Expansion

Urban Produce plans to build additional HDVGS across the United States. Their expansion will greatly reduce agriculture's ever-increasing carbon footprint. Their mission is to build Urban Farms worldwide, bringing fresh produce back to the cities so consumers can buy and eat locally grown product, all while creating jobs in the community and simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint. By 2020, Urban Produce intends to build 100 Urban Farms worldwide.

Nutritional Analysis

Microgreens are known to have four to 40 times more nutritional value than their mature counterparts. In 2012, the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Maryland conducted a study researching the nutritional content of microgreens. The researchers looked at four groups of vitamins and other phytochemicals - including vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene - in 25 varieties of microgreens. They found that leaves from almost all of the microgreens had four to up to 40 times more nutrients than the fully grown leaves of its mature counterpart plant. The microgreens varied in nutritional density. For example, red cabbage was the highest in vitamin C, for instance, while the green daikon radish microgreens had the most vitamin E.