Ark Foods has purchased and opened its first-ever owned property, a 12,000-square-foot packhouse within the historic farming community of Immokalee, Florida. The Ark Foods team has been farming in Immokalee — a hub of agricultural output — since 2014. This acquisition is a major move for Ark Foods' mission to make unique vegetables more accessible and affordable in grocery stores across the country.
Founded in 2013 by Noah Robbins, Ark Foods was originally built around bringing the beloved Shishito pepper to the masses. Since then, a sense of curiosity around unexpected vegetables remains as its north star, but the company has expanded far beyond a singular pepper, doubling its acreage each year for the past four years.
The new packhouse in Immokalee will be used as a major distribution facility, processing Shishitos and specialty peppers, heirloom cherry tomatoes, Honeynut squash, and other unique varieties of vegetables.
"Immokalee has long felt like home to our young company. So, it feels right that our first company property purchase is there," Robbins says. "It's exciting for us to continue bringing innovation to an area we believe in while respecting the long line of tradition before us."
As for the bigger picture, Robbins says, "We're a player in a community that feeds the United States. That responsibility is our guiding force every day."
After a summer of upgrades and improvements, the new packhouse is fully operational as of November 2020.
For more information:
Melanie Baker
Ark Foods
Phone: 203-969-4160
Email: melanie@arkfoods.com