AeroFarms, a certified B Corporation and leader in indoor vertical farming, today announced that the Company has received its certificate of occupancy for expansion of its global headquarters in Newark, New Jersey. To support its corporate expansion, AeroFarms recently completed the build out of an additional 25,000 square-feet at its headquarters for new office space and more expansive R&D and Innovation Centers of Excellence.
In 2015, AeroFarms partnered closely with the City of Newark and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), to relocate its headquarters to Newark from the Finger Lakes region of New York with the goal of creating more than 75 year-round jobs in the local community. Today, AeroFarms employs in Newark more than 150 team members, and the Company is delivering on its vision of not only serving the broader New York metro area, but also serving as the global epicenter for large scale commercial indoor vertical farming and the latest in breakthrough proprietary technologies addressing some of the world’s most pressing agricultural challenges.
AeroFarms has been leading the way for innovation and technology breakthroughs since its inception and will continue to build on this legacy through continued R&D and infrastructure to maintain its leadership position as the Company scales. Earlier this week, AeroFarms Co-Founder and CEO David Rosenberg was recognized as a Top Technology Influencer by New Jersey media outlet ROI-NJ, further demonstrating the Company’s leadership in technology and innovation.
“New Jersey and Newark have been the perfect home for AeroFarms to recruit the best talent for horticulture, engineering, data science, operations, and food safety enabling us to reimagine agriculture in the Garden State,” said Rosenberg. “We are scaling farms around the world, partnering closely with major multi-national retailers, and our newly expanded global headquarters will be a showcase for our transformative work and innovation that will further drive our mission to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity.”
AeroFarms has a long history of community involvement, including partnering with Ironbound Community Corporation and NJ Reentry Program, which offers career opportunities to those previously incarcerated. In addition, AeroFarms has made an impact with its Community Farms, working with partners such as Newark-based Philips Academy Charter School and their EcoSpaces program. The Company also partnered with the City of Jersey City and the World Economic Forum’s Healthy Cities and Communities initiative for the first ever municipal indoor vertical farming program, consisting of ten vertical farms throughout Jersey City located in senior centers, schools, public housing complexes, and municipal buildings. The ten sites will grow 19,000 pounds of vegetables annually, using targeted aeroponics water mist and minimal electricity, and the food will be provided to the community for no cost.
Tags: community farms, community., eco spaces, expansion, garden state