Gotham Greens opened its new, 100,000 square foot hydroponic greenhouse outside of Baltimore. Reimagining a portion of the former Bethlehem Steel Mill located in Sparrows Point, this is Gotham Greens’ seventh greenhouse nationwide and its first greenhouse that will provide a year-round supply of fresh produce to retail, restaurant and foodservice customers across 10 states throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.
30 million heads of lettuce
The greenhouse will produce more than six million heads of lettuce annually and bring the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based, privately held company’s total annual production to more than 30 million heads of lettuce nationwide. This includes Gotham Greens’ new regional favorite Chesapeake Crunch inspired by the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which helps to filter and to protect drinking water for local residents.
“Gotham Greens is a brand dedicated to changing how people think, feel and interact with their food,” said Viraj Puri, Co-Founder & CEO of Gotham Greens. “We’re excited to introduce our line of leafy greens, herbs, sauces, dips and dressings to even more people up and down the East Coast. By conducting our first harvest during the cold winter season, this underscores our commitment to growing and delivering high-quality, long-lasting and delicious produce all year round.”
Mobile pantry
Gotham Greens is creating 60 full-time green jobs in Baltimore and has partnered with the Baltimore County Department of Economic and Workforce Development and the Center for Urban Families to host hiring events. The company will sponsor a local mobile Pantry On The Go on March 11 in partnership with the Maryland Food Bank to provide fresh produce and other pantry staples to its neighbors facing food insecurity. The event also will serve as a local job fair, recruiting for year-round clean manufacturing jobs in a neighborhood facing high rates of unemployment.
The company’s Baltimore greenhouse will serve as a resource to educate local residents and visitors on the benefits of sustainable, indoor farming by hosting free guided tours, as well as field trips for schools, universities and other local community organizations.
Gotham Greens