Gotham Greens
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Indoor agriculture, hydroponics |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Viraj Puri, Eric Haley |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York City , United States |
Key people | Viraj Puri (CEO) |
| Products | Fresh produce (lettuces, herbs, salad kits), dressings, dips, sauces |
| Website | gothamgreens |
Gotham Greens is a U.S.-based indoor agriculture firm headquartered in Brooklyn, New York City. The company specializes in producing fresh, locally grown produce throughout the year, including lettuces, herbs, salad kits, dressings, dips, and sauces marketed under its own label.
Operating 13 hydroponic greenhouse sites nationwide, Gotham Greens manages more than 1.8 million square feet of controlled-environment farming space. The organization’s strategic direction and daily operations are overseen by CEO Viraj Puri.
History
Established in 2009 by entrepreneur Viraj Puri and CFO Eric Haley, Gotham Greens focuses on sustainable urban farming by cultivating pesticide-free crops within climate-controlled greenhouses. Puri’s expertise lies in sustainable development and environmental engineering, while Haley contributes extensive experience in finance and banking. Early in the company’s development, Jenn Frymark joined to manage greenhouse operations.
Following three years of development, the company inaugurated its first commercial urban rooftop greenhouse in 2011 located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This initial 15,000-square-foot facility marked a pioneering effort in high-tech urban agriculture across the United States.
By regulating environmental variables, Gotham Greens achieves yields of leafy greens up to 30 times greater per acre compared to conventional farming methods while reducing water consumption by 90% and land use by 97%. This efficient approach underpins scalable expansion and environmental sustainability.
Growth continued with the launch of a 20,000-square-foot rooftop greenhouse atop a Whole Foods Market store in Gowanus, Brooklyn in 2013; followed by a 75,000-square-foot facility in Chicago in 2015—the largest rooftop greenhouse worldwide at that time; and later that year, a 60,000-square-foot greenhouse situated on a repurposed factory roof in Jamaica, Queens.
By late 2019, Gotham Greens had opened additional substantial greenhouses including a 100,000-square-foot site in Chicago as well as locations in Edgemere, Maryland and Providence, Rhode Island. In 2020, the company expanded into Colorado with a 30,000-square-foot greenhouse based in Aurora. The West Coast expansion commenced in 2021 with the unveiling of a 100,000-square-foot greenhouse in Davis, California. That same year Gotham Greens achieved Certified B Corporation status.
In 2022, the acquisition of FresH2O Growers—a hydroponic operation covering 540,000 square feet located in Stevensburg, Virginia—significantly increased Gotham Greens’ production capacity. The following year brought an additional 600,000 square feet through expansions at existing Chicago and Providence facilities along with new greenhouses opening in Windsor, Colorado; Monroe, Georgia; and Seagoville, Texas.
The company maintains strategic alliances such as its partnership with UC Davis aimed at advancing research into indoor farming technologies. Recognition from Whole Foods Market includes awards for leadership in "Ultra Urban Farming" (2022) and "Clean & Conserve: Water Stewardship" (2024), underscoring Gotham Greens’ influence within the market and commitment to sustainability.
Funding
In 2020, Gotham Greens obtained $87 million through a Series D financing round spearheaded by Manna Tree, with additional investment from the Silverman Group, elevating the total capital raised to $130 million. Later, in 2022, the company secured a further $310 million led by BMO Impact Investment Fund alongside Ares Management, pushing overall funding to $440 million.
Products
Gotham Greens offers a variety of fresh produce and proprietary food items such as pesto and salad dressings, distributed to grocery retailers, dining establishments, and food service providers. In September 2022, the firm broadened its portfolio by introducing plant-based dips that are dairy-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO. By November 2023, Gotham Greens debuted a new collection of salad kits.
Greenhouse locations
- New York City – three sites (Greenpoint and Gowanus in Brooklyn; Jamaica in Queens)
- Chicago, Illinois – two sites (Pullman)
- Edgemere, Maryland
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Aurora, Colorado
- Davis, California
- Stevensburg, Virginia
- Windsor, Colorado
- Monroe, Georgia
- Seagoville, Texas
See also
- Controlled-environment agriculture
- Urban agriculture
- Roof garden
- Building-integrated agriculture
- Hydroponics
External links
- Agriculture companies of the United States
- Companies based in Brooklyn
- Greenhouses in New York (state)
- Greenhouses in Illinois
- 2009 establishments in New York City
- Hydroponics
- Urban agriculture
- Agriculture companies established in 2009
- Food and drink companies based in New York City
- American companies established in 2009
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment