BOISE, ID; SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - History is filled with dynamic partnerships and collaborations that have made great impacts. Today, grocery behemoth Albertsons has announced its partnership with the vertical-farming company Plenty Unlimited to bring the growers renowned produce to shoppers across California. Starting with Albertsons stores in the Bay Area, the company’s products will eventually be available in over 430 stores throughout the state.
“We pride ourselves on offering fresh, quality products that surprise and delight our customers,” said Geoff White, EVP of Merchandising, Albertsons. “Plenty’s data-driven and sustainable methods are truly innovative, and we look forward to bringing their unique and exciting products to more customers in California as they scale their operations.”
The decision to partner with Plenty stems from the company’s ability to provide sustainable, fresh produce year-round. According to a press release, the company’s innovative indoor vertical farm uses a combination of solar and wind power to support 100 percent of the operation. With its facility, Plenty can grow one million plants at a time and harvests 200 plants per minute. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the vertical grower boasts less than 1 percent of land use and 5 percent of water use compared to traditional farms.
“Albertsons Cos. is leading the industry by creating a new partnership model to deliver customers the intensely flavorful and fresh produce of the Plenty farm,” said Matt Barnard, CEO of Plenty. “This is an important milestone for the Plenty team, and we look forward to bringing Albertsons Cos. customers the best-tasting and cleanest greens they’ve ever eaten.”
With the soaring demand for fresh that began with the COVID-19 pandemic, the partnership with Plenty comes at the perfect time for Albertsons. Customers in the Bay Area can now buy Plenty products at Safeways and Andronicos in their area. Soon, the grocer is planning to expand to over 430 stores across California including its Albertsons, Vons, and Pavillions stores.
Initial offerings that will be available from Plenty include:
- Baby Arugula - A bold baby arugula with spice and subtle hints of summer citrus and black pepper
- Baby Kale - A velvety-soft baby kale highlighted by bright notes and a smooth finish
- Crispy Lettuce- A crispy leaf delivering the fresh, clean crunch people crave with a versatility deserving of the most creative ideas
- Mizuna Mix - A crunchy, colorful mix of tatsoi and mizuna that brings a mustardy heat to the table
As the collaboration between Albertsons and Plenty continues to grow and evolve, we here at AndNowUKnow look forward to seeing what produce items the pair will be rolling out and where the future innovation of the duo will lead. Keep checking in with us for all of the latest updates.
