Kentucky Fresh Harvest, a hydroponic greenhouse operation based in Stanford, Kentucky, has successfully completed an equity capital raise totaling $520,000 on Harvest Returns' investment platform.
The funding raised will help the Kentucky Fresh Harvest team support its rural community by adding nearly 75 permanent, full-time jobs. Kentucky Fresh Harvest's facility will be able to produce approximately three to four million cherry tomatoes per year by 2020. Their facility also strives to be efficient, saving up to 135,000 gallons of water per day and 40 percent less fertilizer.
"We are thrilled to announce a successful crowdfunding raise of $520,000 for our hydroponic farm in Stanford, Kentucky," said Curt Meltzer, COO of Kentucky Fresh Harvest. "Our partners at Harvest Returns could not have been more helpful in finding interested investors and shepherding us through the process. We look forward to working with them again in the future."
"We're excited to be working with Kentucky Fresh Harvest," said Chris Rawley, CEO of Harvest Returns. "Controlled environment agriculture is an important and growing part of America's food system. This company is leading the way in producing year-round produce in a sustainable manner."
The project
Located on a 30 acre site on the North side of Stanford, KY, the home of Kentucky Fresh Harvest used to be a working farm.
The company's CEO, Haim Oz, is a 3rd generation Israeli farmer with 23 years of experience in the business of agriculture. He has built his company, Oz Agribusiness Projects & Investments, around his ability to recognize opportunities for growth in agricultural markets and, through the implementation of technology, find ways to improve upon traditional farming methods to maximize control and increase yields.
OAPI has successfully developed high-technology dairy, poultry, and greenhouse projects on 5 continents and now Kentucky Fresh Harvest is bringing Mr. Oz's greenhouse technology and expertise to the United States.
For more information:
Harvest Returns
www.harvestreturns.com
Kentucky Fresh Harvest
www.kyfreshharvest.com