Whom You Know: #TexasPeachy #TastyTidbits Fresh from Texas: Inside San Antonio's first soil-based vertical farm, Soli Organic cultivates 140,000 square feet of organic produce and economic opportunity

Monday, June 24, 2024

#TexasPeachy #TastyTidbits Fresh from Texas: Inside San Antonio's first soil-based vertical farm, Soli Organic cultivates 140,000 square feet of organic produce and economic opportunity

Soli Organic Inc. ("the Company"), the nation's leading indoor agriculture company, continues its growth trajectory today, unveiling its most technologically advanced facility yet in San Antonio's mixed-use Brooks Community at the site of former Brooks Air Force Base. This new indoor vertical farm with pioneering technology builds on the state's rich agricultural traditions, boosts the local economy, enhances regional food security with locally grown produce, and creates an array of employment opportunities.

The new facility spans 140,000 square feet, including 100,000 square feet of production, with six vertical layers of growing capacity and 40,000 square feet for processing and packing. This strategic addition to the Company's national footprint will help meet rising retailer and consumer demand for fresh, high value, sustainably grown, organic produce across the rapidly expanding Texas Triangle and the broader Southwest region of the United States. The farm will grow over ten different crops, including a diverse range of organic herbs such as basil, cilantro and mint, plus organic salad greens like spinach, arugula and romaine lettuce.

Harnessing the Company's unique soil-based growing system, the San Antonio facility efficiently uses automation, industry-leading lighting, precision organic fertigation and vertical and horizontal space for the highest quality and yield, along with efficient use of inputs. This means our facility design enables growing with 90% less water and 1/100th of the land used in traditional outdoor farming. The facility also avoids the volatility of weather and the quality loss associated with extensive food miles, and its efficient technology keeps growing costs low and quality high, which is a value that is passed on to the consumer.

"In today's economy, consumers want value, and that's what our new San Antonio facility is designed to deliver," said Matt Ryan, Soli Organic's Chief Executive Officer. "This high-tech farm will offer retailers and consumers fresh, organic produce grown here in Texas and is already delivering our best yields yet in a state known for the biggest and best of everything. This operation is pivotal to our national growth strategy, exemplifying our commitment to making organic produce accessible through a scalable, sustainable and profitable model."

Brooks Community President and CEO Leo Gomez welcomed the Company, highlighting the area's pioneering spirit: "The introduction of Soli Organic's facility marks a new chapter in our history of fostering innovation and sustainable initiatives. Soli Organic's presence reinforces our ag-tech leadership, stimulates economic development in Southeast San Antonio and improves the quality of life for the Brooks region."

The new facility will create more than 100 jobs, including many high-wage, high-skill tech positions in horticulture and manufacturing. These new jobs will offer diverse career paths and contribute to the economic vitality of the local community.

Soli Organic has a longstanding presence in Texas, with strong retail partnerships nurtured over time, making this expansion a natural progression. The Company's organic herbs and leafy greens are now available at many Texas retailers, and more new products are planned for sale at additional stores later in 2024.

As the category leader in fresh, organic culinary herbs, Soli Organic is committed to continuing its growth trajectory. Following the successful launch of a new indoor farm in Anderson, South Carolina, the Company is actively scouting farm locations in the Northeast to expand its existing distribution network that includes more than 20,000 stores nationwide, including most top 20 retailers.

About Soli Organic Inc.

Soli Organic Inc. is the nation's leading indoor organic agriculture company dedicated to high-quality, high-value, sustainably grown, 100% USDA Certified Organic produce. As the category leader in fresh, organic culinary herbs, Soli Organic is found in 20,000+ stores nationwide and is rapidly expanding distribution of leafy greens. Soli Organic continues to redefine how to bring produce to market – operating across a nationally integrated platform of farms, production, and logistics facilities. For more information, please visit www.soliorganic.com.

About Brooks

Brooks is a growing mixed-use community of more than 1,300 acres where people can Live, Work, Learn, Play, and Stay. Formerly Brooks Air Force Base, the Brooks community has attracted more than 3,200 jobs across more than 50 businesses, including five international companies, eight residential communities, four schools from Pre-K to higher education, and a variety of restaurants, retail, and amenities. Brooks exists to attract quality jobs and to bring prosperity to the entire region. It's not just about Brooks. It's about San Antonio and all of South Texas. For more information, visit LiveBrooks.com.

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