Dec. 13, 2017, Leduc, Alta. – Western Canada’s grocery and food service industries are eagerly waiting for the final commissioning of Trusted Freshness™ Ltd. Canada’s newest vertical farming enterprise. The 37,000 sq. ft. growing facility in Leduc is going through the final steps before launching its commercial operation. The Trusted Freshness facility provides a controlled indoor urban environment capable of growing a wide assortment of produce including micro greens, leafy greens and vine crops. Many of the crops can be grown and harvested within a seven to 30-day cycle, providing fresh produce year round. The local availability of produce ensures that the nutritional benefits of the produce are not reduced by long transportation hauls, which is the case with the produce imported from southwestern U.S. and Mexico. “Our franchise approach to vertical farming provides our franchisees with tremendous flexibility in how they can operate their business,” says Jim Schroeder, Trusted Freshness CEO and chief marketing officer. “The franchisee may wish to simply invest in a Trusted Freshness vertical farming module and have the management of the unit out-sourced or operate their franchise themselves.” The Trusted Freshness franchise business model enables investors to operate their individual growing enterprises in a co-located facility, while at the same time taking advantage of shared core services such as hands-on training, germination, packaging, distribution and marketing of their produce. “The demand for Trusted Freshness produce is significant,” says Schroeder. “Since word got out about our vertical farming facility, we have been approached by numerous groups interested in purchasing our freshly-grown produce. Grocery retailers, the food service industry and even individual chefs are looking for that specific herb or micro-green that will give them an extra advantage in their culinary offering.” “We are delighted with the continued interest our Trusted Freshness operation is receiving from the local business community, the rest of Canada and other parts of the world,” says Schroeder. “We are already investigating additional locations that would be a great fit for a Trusted Freshness operation.” “With the world-wide market for vertical farming operations projected to be worth a minimum of $3.88 billion U.S. by 2020, this is certainly the time for entrepreneurs and investors to take a look at a Trusted Freshness franchise,” says Schroeder. For more information on Trusted Freshness™ Ltd. visit www.trustedfreshness.com or contact Trusted Freshness CEO Jim Schroeder at 780.690.8985, email: jim@trustedfreshness.com
A vertical farming facility is opening in Canada as part of the Trusted Freshness franchise. The company says it will be located at a farm near Barrie, Ont., and has already received approval from Health Canada. Local food companies are expected to benefit from the increased availability of produce rather than having to rely on imports from further away. Trusted Freshness provides shared services to its franchisees, including training, distribution and marketing.