BrightFarms Opens New CEA Greenhouse in Lorena, Texas

BrightFarms, an indoor farming company that produces fresh lettuce sold as classic greens or in crunchy mixes and salad kits at retail outlets, has opened its newest greenhouse in Lorena, Texas, just southwest of Waco, Texas. The new facility is the second of three regional hubs BrightFarms is opening in 2024, and it allows the company to distribute its leafy greens in the South Central and Southwest for the first time.

The company noted that, once completed, the Lorena greenhouse will cover 1.5 million square feet and feature cutting-edge cooling technology to provide optimal growing conditions for its product throughout the entire year. It is expected to create more than 250 jobs.

BrightFarms was fully acquired by Cox Enterprises in August 2021, and is part of the company’s Cox Farms controlled environment agriculture (CEA) business along with Mucci Farms. In November 2024, Cox Farms had amassed more than 700 acres of CEA footprint, which it claims to have made it the largest greenhouse operator in North America.

The company also has the ability to expand to nearly 100 acres through its three new greenhouses in Texas, Illinois and Georgia, the company noted. It currently operates eight greenhouse farms in Texas, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Illinois, with an additional regional salad greenhouse hub to open in late 2024.