Taylor Farms Expands CEA Produce Supply with Equinox Growers Acquisition
Salads and fresh foods processor Taylor Farms has expanded its greenhouse footprint with the acquisition of Equinox Growers, a leafy greens greenhouse in Louisa, Va., according to a release from the company.
The move reflects what T. Bruce Taylor, senior vice president of Marketing and Product called “a major step forward into controlled-environment agriculture” for Taylor Farms, as retailers and consumers seek out greenhouse-grown produce. Equinox is the largest commercial greenhouse in the mid-Atlantic region, a controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) facility that grows a wide variety of greens.
The facility will be integrated into Taylor Farms’ cold chain and continue to be managed by the Equinox team, the company noted, boosting the freshness and accessibility of Taylor Farms products to the eastern U.S. marketplace. It allows Taylor Farms to diversify its raw product supply, Taylor said, “both in geography and growing method.”
The release notes that CEA lettuce is a fast-growing category in packaged salads, expanding by approximately 25% year-over-year.
About the Author
Andy Hanacek
Senior Editor
Andy Hanacek has covered meat, poultry, bakery and snack foods as a B2B editor for nearly 20 years, and has toured hundreds of processing plants and food companies, sharing stories of innovation and technological advancement throughout the food supply chain. In 2018, he won a Folio:Eddie Award for his unique "From the Editor's Desk" video blogs, and he has brought home additional awards from Folio and ASBPE over the years. In addition, Hanacek led the Meat Industry Hall of Fame for several years and was vice president of communications for We R Food Safety, a food safety software and consulting company.