Indoor growing is gaining momentum. Hydroponic farms (which grow produce without soil in large warehouses) as well as traditional greenhouses are becoming an integral part of the food supply chain. This is primarily for leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, and arugula.Vertical hydroponics is often considered a sustainable alternative for traditional farming. Vertical hydroponic farming uses 95% less water and has a lower impact on the soil. Urban farms can be located in food deserts near grocers to reduce transportation costs. However, the high-energy consumption for lighting indoor farms has frequently hampered efforts to reduce carbon emissions from agriculture.AeroFarms, a market leader in the industry, announced that it will go public sometime in 2012. Plenty, a SF-based vertical farming company, has expanded to 17 Safeways in Northern California. Gotham Greens is an East Coast urban farming company that is overcoming the COVID-19 recession. They are building indoor farms in states like California and Colorado. Global vertical farming is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14% by 2026.Just Vertical, a Canadian startup, is trying to bring indoor gardening to home. The Aeva and Eve are elegant furniture pieces that can produce between 8 and 10 pounds per month of food using hydroponic technology.The base of the products is a wooden cabinet, with the growing mechanism reaching up to five feet. Both the Aeva and Eve can grow leavesy greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, peppers, and peppers. The company is expanding into flowers, and even grew hops to be used in microbreweries. Just Vertical sells hardware but also offers subscriptions for seeds and peatmoss pods.Kevin Jakiela, co-founder of the company, said that it is meant for people who can't grow vegetables all year or don't have a yard or balcony. We did not want to be another countertop version.Click and Grow and Aerogardens are two countertop competitors. These products are mostly used for herbs. There are also larger competitors like ZipGrow and Tower Garden. Just Vertical aims to be both garden and dcor in a way that other products are not.Jakiela says that condos and homes are the company's largest markets, followed closely by cafes, restaurants, schools and bars. This company is also attracting interest in office space that is not only food-focused but also as dcor.I would like to be an amenity in pre-built houses or condominiums. Jakiela explained that it is similar to where you can choose between different types of washing machines and dishwashers. We want to be the next generation microwave equivalent. You can also shop at large retailers such as IKEA.The company has sold 1,500 units, and received seed investment from District Ventures. This fund was started by Arlene Dickinson, a shark from Canada's Shark Tank. The company currently targets a Series A in September.[gallery ids="2185754,2185753,2185752"]Vertical's high price, which is between $600 to $1,000, makes it unlikely that it will make a significant difference for families who struggle with food security, or have a major impact on the environment.Jakiela admitted that the current target customer is a Whole Foods shopper. However, the website still boasts data citing environmental benefits such as saving more than 112,000,000 food transport miles and saving over 2,000,000 liters water due to people growing their food. Jakiela believes that the company will have a positive impact on society and businesses as it grows.He said that he wanted to be able leave the hobbyist world and make more impact. We want to be more visible in grocery stores, so that they can offset some of the costs. Our retail and distributed network should be expanded, with a focus on the social aspect.Just Vertical decided to start on the high-end consumer end to prove their market fit. They would then be able go to successful grocery stores to make an impact.It is very difficult for startups to knock on the doors of grocery stores and tell them that we have an idea. You are advised to get out of there, return with sales, or come back with validation. Otherwise, you will be stuck in an eight- to 12-month cycle with no guarantees. There are many hoops to jump through. Grocers don't want to be the first. They don't want to be the last.
