Atlantic Produce, Inc. officially opened Rhode Island’s first commercial, high-tech, hydroponic greenhouse here today, launching the Boston Greens™ line of herbicide-free, pesticide-free produce grown year-round.
The opening was conducted by Atlantic Produce Founder and Chief Executive Lewis Valenti, R.I. Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit, R.I. Commerce Corporation Chief Operating Officer Darin Early, R.I. Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture Chief Kenneth Ayars, University of Rhode Island College of the Environment and Life Sciences Dean Dr. John Kirby, South Kingstown Town Council President Abel G. Collins, and South Kingstown Town Manager Stephen A. Alfred.
The grower will sell the Boston Greens™ line of leafy green vegetables and herbs year-round to commercial and restaurant customers throughout Southeastern New England.
Valenti said the product line will have economic, health, environmental, and educational benefits for the state and the region. Two years ago, Rhode Island joined other New England states in setting a goal of producing 50 percent of the
Atlantic Produce, Inc. officially opened Rhode Island’s first commercial, high-tech, hydroponic greenhouse here today, launching the Boston Greens™ line of herbicide-free, pesticide-free produce grown year-round.
The opening was conducted by Atlantic Produce Founder and Chief Executive Lewis Valenti, R.I. Department of Environmental Management Director Janet Coit, R.I. Commerce Corporation Chief Operating Officer Darin Early, R.I. Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture Chief Kenneth Ayars, University of Rhode Island College of the Environment and Life Sciences Dean Dr. John Kirby, South Kingstown Town Council President Abel G. Collins, and South Kingstown Town Manager Stephen A. Alfred.
The grower will sell the Boston Greens™ line of leafy green vegetables and herbs year-round to commercial and restaurant customers throughout Southeastern New England.
Valenti said the product line will have economic, health, environmental, and educational benefits for the state and the region. Two years ago, Rhode Island joined other New England states in setting a goal of producing 50 percent of the the regions needs by 2060
At present, only one percent of Rhode Island’s food is produced within its borders. The 8,435 square-foot greenhouse opened today is a key project in helping Rhode Island contribute toward the regional goal by growing 250,000 heads of lettuce (120,000 pounds) every year, providing fresh, nutritional produce year-round.
“We strive for the highest quality, purest produce on the market,” Valenti said. Hydroponic agriculture involves growing crops in a mineral-nutrient, pure water solution. Potable tap water is pumped in, then further purified. The plants are never in soil, so they absorb no chemicals or contaminants that can exist in soil, and they require no herbicides or pesticides.
Economic Benefits of New Venture
Atlantic Produce has been funded with $1.3 million from private investors and currently employs eight people. Phase II includes the purchase of a 20-acre site and construction of 16-acre structure where 30-million heads (or 14-million pounds) of lettuce, herbs and greens will be grown annually. Projected employment when all 16 acres are at 100 percent capacity is more than 120 people.
“Thumbs up to Atlantic Produce for finding an innovative way to produce high-quality, delicious produce year-round,” said DEM Director Janet Coit. “By making freshly-grown, chemical-free lettuce, greens and herbs available to consumers no matter what the season, you have an opportunity to make a real impact on the diets and health of our state’s residents. Rhode Islanders crave local food, and Boston Greens will be a fabulous addition to restaurant menus and local grocery shelves.”
Hydroponic plants consume virtually 100 percent of the water pumped in and generate no wastewater or compostable waste. ”When we’re at full production by the fourth quarter of 2016, we’ll be on a 20-acre site, producing a yield equivalent to a traditional 400-acre farm,” added Valenti.
At present, Atlantic Produce offers gourmet lettuces: red, green, red oak, Boston Bibb, a gourmet trio (green, red and red oak), and gourmet mini romaine. The company also grows red and green kale, baby leaf rainbow chard, and a variety of herbs that include green basil, purple basil, Italian flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, and mint.
The Boston Greens™ business model was formulated with medical and scientific input from advisor Thomas J. Fahey, Jr., M.D., who is Senior Vice President Emeritus for Clinical Development at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
“Time is the ally of bacteria,” said Dr. Fahey. “It is difficult to overstate the health benefit of locally grown, farm-to-table produce, with no pesticides, herbicides, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Atlantic Produce’s platform significantly reduces, if not eliminates, harmful bacteria from its produce.”
Currently 80 percent of produce consumed in Rhode Island is shipped from California, Mexico, or Central or South America, requiring at least 30 days between harvest and consumption. Most often, crops are picked before they are ripe, and ripen in transit and storage. The freshness of Boston Greens™ , picked when ripe and eaten within days, makes them not only more nutritious, but also more tasty,” Valenti said.
Valenti, a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, was committed to building his business in the Ocean State and working to develop job opportunities with his alma mater. “U.R.I. has a tremendous College of Environment and Life Sciences under the direction of Dean Kirby, and they’ve served as a resource to me as I researched methods, mechanics and vendors for hydroponic technology.
“I’m pleased that Atlantic Produce will be able to offer research projects, work-study opportunities, and internships to graduate students at U.R.I. as a way of giving back to the institution that has given so much to me,” Valenti said. “Together, we hope to nurture a new generation of agricultural innovators through practical internships and, eventually, job opportunities at Atlantic Produce.”
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Atlantic Produce, founded in 2013, operates Rhode Island’s first high-tech, hydroponic growing facility. Located in West Kingston, the company offers gourmet lettuces, fresh greens and herbs that are nutritional, tasty, and herbicide and pesticide-free. Marketed under the brand name Boston Greens™, the fresh produce is available year-round at Dave’s Fresh Marketplace, Belmont Market, and Shore’s Market, and at such fine Rhode Island restaurants as Matunuck Oyster Bar in South Kingstown and La Masseria Restaurant in East Greenwich. Source; MK Talbot PR (Star Patcher)
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