BrightFarms Opens 1.5-Million-Sq.-Ft., Macon, Georgia, Leafy Greens Indoor Farming Facility
Produce grower and processor BrightFarms, which grows its products in indoor farming facilities, announced it is now shipping product from its newest greenhouse hub in Macon, Ga., which opened in late 2024.
The facility spans 1.5 million sq. ft. and is the third new build for the company in less than six months, following the opening of indoor farms in Lorena, Texas, and Yorkville, Ill. The Macon, Ga., facility is expected to create 250 jobs once it is fully operational. BrightFarms said in its release that it can now serve two-thirds of Americans with its fresh greens.
As a result of the opening of these three regional hubs, BrightFarms also announced last month that it was suspending operations at its early-stage facilities in Selinsgrove, Pa., Rochelle, Ill., and Hendersonville, N.C., later this year. The plan is to focus on scaling and operating the three new regional greenhouse hubs.
BrightFarms’ hydroponic indoor growing systems ensure optimal growing conditions year-round for the leafy greens which are then packaged and distributed through retail channels, often in as little as 24 hours from the time of harvest. BrightFarms was acquired by Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business that operates the largest greenhouse network across North America, through its Cox Farms division, with anticipated revenues approaching $1 billion and a workforce of over 1,300 dedicated employees.
The Macon greenhouse includes the first-ever Cox Farms Discovery Center, an educational hub aimed at training the next generation of agriculture workers, supporting retailers and furthering the company’s mission to provide fresh, accessible produce for all.
