While many North American greenhouse produce giants have been focusing on adding acreage in the Midwest, Pure Flavor is the first greenhouse grower to break ground on a gigantic greenhouse project in the Deep South in the state of Georgia. The company will built a 75 acre facility in three phases of 25 acres each over the next five years.
Chris Veillon, Chief Marketing Officer at Pure Flavor said that the company will break ground on the project in Fort Valley, Peach County, Georgia on September 27, with construction taking off immediately after. "We hope to complete the construction of the first phase and the distribution center in late spring, have the first crops in in the summer of 2018, and expect to pick the first fruits next fall."
Greenhouse constructor Havecon has been awarded the turn key project. They will construct a state of the art greenhouse that will include a roof of diffused glass and HPS supplemental top lighting to enable Pure Flavor to grow high quality produce on a year round scheme. "The high tech facility will allow us to use take maximum benefit of the Georgia climate that is rich of sun hours. The local climate does not have significant weather swings, which will benefit to a consistent quality", Veillon said.
Georgia Grown
The new greenhouse complex, located just 90 minutes south of Atlanta and less than 3 miles from I-75, will grow tomatoes & cucumbers year-round. Coupled with Pure Flavor’s existing farms throughout Canada, USA, and Mexico, growing in Georgia will further expand the company’s reach along the eastern seaboard as far north as Virginia, west to Texas, and all the way down to south Florida with greenhouse grown vegetables.
Pure Flavor is very exciting to pursue these opportunities in a new territory with a 105 million dollar investment. "The financial investment we are making further demonstrates our goal of growing our business in a significant region and not looking at the investment as just growing in a state”, said Jeff Moracci, Chief Financial Officer.
With a potential reach of nearly 80 million people in less than a 24 hrs. drive, a regionally grown message featuring the Georgia Grown emblem will help leverage the brand with consumers.
“Being strategically located in Georgia with our new greenhouse will enable Pure Flavor to significantly extend its reach to open more distribution channels along the southeastern seaboard while further supplying existing key retail & foodservice partners across the southern US”, commented Matt Mastronardi, Executive Vice-President.
Labour
While other greenhouse growers in the Midwest struggle to find enough workers to pick the fruits and complete other cropwork, Veillon said that Pure Flavor does not expect any problems in finding enough workers in Peach County. "Georgia is known as an agricultural state and we do not expect issues in regards to labour".
This is also stated by Pat Wilson, Commissioner at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Pure Flavor is taking a highly-specialized, dynamic approach to agriculture that our workforce is well suited to support. With a solid logistics infrastructure and robust network of companies, Pure Flavor will have all they need to thrive in our state. Congrats to Peach County on this incredible win.”
"We at the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Grown are proud to welcome Pure Flavor to our great state”, stated Gary W. Black, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner. “I am confident this innovative venture will prove to be a real asset to Peach County and to Georgia's entire agricultural sector. Pure Flavor has indeed found the ideal location for this type of operation and I look forward to working with them as they continue to grow and expand”, said Black.
For more information, please visit GeorgiaGrownFlavor.com