Giant Food and BrightFarms are joining forces to deliver year-round local produce to Giant stores throughout the Washington metropolitan area. Situated near Giant’s store at 1535 Alabama Ave. in southeast Washington, D.C., the 100,000-s.f. facility will be the largest urban greenhouse of its kind in the world, the companies say.
BrightFarms anticipates completing the greenhouse and delivering produce to supermarket shelves by this fall.
The farm will grow produce year-round for thousands of customers in the D.C. area, while creating up to 20 full-time green-collar jobs, facilitating more than 100 construction jobs and converting underutilized land into a sustainable farm. BrightFarms also plans to offer educational opportunities for local schools to learn about urban agriculture and environmental sustainability.
For Giant, the partnership reflects its “strong commitment to promoting health and wellness in local communities.”
“Giant is committed to serving our community by delivering the highest quality produce at the best value,” said Gordon Reid, president. “This unique partnership with BrightFarms will benefit the local economy while providing our customers with fresh, locally grown and sustainable produce year-round. We’re excited about what this new partnership offers for our region.”
Added BrightFarms CEO Paul Lightfoot, “I am proud to partner with Giant Food, a leading retailer serving our nation’s capital that shares our dedication to environmental stewardship and customer service.”
The greenhouse will be designed, built and operated by BrightFarms in partnership with the city’s Department of General Services and the Anacostia Economic Development Corp. in support of the Mayor’s Sustainable D.C. Plan, which aims to make D.C. the greenest, healthiest and most livable city in the nation.
