Culpeper Farm Becomes Major Supplier To Grocery Chain

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Giant Food, the Washington-area grocery store chain, has announced that all 169 of its stores have begun to carry locally grown produce year-round from BrightFarms Capitol Greenhouse, a 150,000 square-foot greenhouse farm in Culpeper County.

BrightFarms will provide Giant Foods with an assortment of fresh salad mixes, such as baby arugula, Asian greens, baby spinach, spring mix, spinach blend and baby kale, as well as basil and a variety of tomatoes, the grocery chain said. The produce supplied will total nearly one million pounds per year, Giant said in a news release.

“Giant Food’s partnership with BrightFarms further emphasizes our commitment to our communities by providing sustainably sourced produce and creating local jobs,” said Gordon Reid, president of Giant Food. “Demand for locally grown produce is growing, and we are pleased to provide our customers with fresh, healthy, sustainable produce throughout the entire year.”

The Culpeper greenhouse farm is one of several farms operated by BrightFarm, a New York City firm involved in cutting-edge sustainable agriculture. Its state-of-the-art greenhouse farms are designed to conserve land and water and help the environment by locating the farms close to markets to reduce greenhouse gas emission from transportation.

BrightFarm's produce can go from “seed to shelf” in as little as 26 days, and will be delivered to stores within 24 hours of harvest, ensuring the produce is as fresh as possible, according to Giant.

“Giant is the right partner for us because of its commitment to the communities it serves; it's a huge win for both Giant consumers and the environment." said BrightFarms CEO Paul Lightfoot in the release.

To find out more about the BrightFarms greenhouse farm in Culpeper County, please click here.