Replies to post #25472 on The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

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These strawberries were grown in a New Jersey warehouse — and they may revolutionize how Americans eat

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/15/bowerys-vertical-farming-strawberries-go-on-sale-in-new-york-.html

Inside of a warehouse in this factory town neighboring Newark, thousands of strawberries grow in rows beneath bright lights.

This is one of Bowery Farming’s research and development centers, and these berries are destined for a second life in the big city.

One of Bowery’s competitors, Plenty, said Tuesday that it plans to build an indoor strawberry farm to serve customers and retailers in the Northeast with major berry grower Driscoll’s. Their rivals include venture-backed start-ups AeroFarms, PlantLab and BrightFarms.

Christine Zimmermann-Loessl, chair of the Association for Vertical Farming, said companies must prove they can grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to become a more meaningful part of the food supply.

Investors are pouring money into agriculture technology companies at a time when food’s price and availability are on the minds of more retailers and consumers.

Inflation has pushed up food prices by 7.9% over the past 12 months, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reported this month. The pandemic left some grocery shelves bare and underscored the complexities of the supply chain. In recent weeks, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has illustrated the risks of relying on other countries to produce energy or grow food.