There are a lot of great benefits grocery stores can have when they grow their own food.
Some grocery stores already know this!
For example, the Kroger Company is adding 15 vertical farming units to some of its stores to add more fresh produce to its selection.
In this article, you’ll learn why grocery stores should grow their own food.
Attract New Customers
Did you know 58% of consumers seek out locally sourced fruits and vegetables?
Growing your own food lets you control where your food is produced.
In fact, you could even grow it in the parking lot of your grocery store—you can’t get any more local than that!
When customers can get their fresh locally grown produce from the same store that they get all their other food, they’ll be more likely to shop at your store.
Protect Customers
Fresh produce accounts for half of all foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States.
By January 15 this year, 167 people had been infected with e. coli by lettuce and other leafy greens.
E. coli outbreaks from lettuce are usually due to the lettuce having traces of feces stuck in the leaves.
Luckily, when your grocery store grows its own food, this isn’t going to happen since you’ll have full control over the growing environment.
Especially if you grow hydroponically and indoors, like with a container farm!
Sell Premium Produce
Consumers from all age groups are willing to pay more for organic produce.
Plus, they’re also willing to pay more for local foods, mostly because they perceive it as higher quality.
When you grow your grocery store’s own food, you can grow it organically.
And since this produce is able to have a higher price tag than its imported rivals, you’ll be making more money.
Add New Revenue
Growing your grocery store’s own food gives you the opportunity to start new money-making endeavors.
You can add salad bars, pop-up restaurants and ready-made meals to your grocery store using food from your farm.
As a result, you’ll provide a new service while making extra money!
One Whole Foods in Brooklyn started using a hydroponic farm to make extra money by selling microgreen pizzas and other specialty meals.
Expand Produce Selection
When your grocery store grows its own food, it also helps you broaden your selection of produce.
Since many herbs don’t travel well, it can be hard to include them in your grocery store.
With an onsite farm, you can grow exotic and luxury crops for your customers.
And with an expanded inventory, you’ll be the go-to for local foodies.
If growing your grocery store’s own food seems daunting, don’t worry!
We’ve got the perfect solution.
Our Pure Greens Container Farms are compact, so you could even start growing from your parking lot!
Plus, they’re completely soil free, using sustainable hydroponics to grow crops instead.
And with our automated systems and controlled environment technology, you can even do most of the growing from a smartphone!
Visit our website or call 602-753-3469 to learn how you can get started.
