Our Story
Reimagining How and Where Fresh Food is Grown.
We are a fresh food company farming with the future in mind. We build and operate sustainable greenhouses in cities across America, where we grow our year-round supply of local produce. Local cultivation and regional distribution help us deliver our products quickly after being harvested to ensure they are fresh tasting, nutritionally dense and long-lasting. Our farms are unconventional. But so is our commitment to taste, quality and sustainability.
A Year-Round Harvest
Green produce starts with green decisions. Our indoor farming facilities are sun (and wind) powered, and climate controlled for a year-round growing season. This means we can provide clean, sustainable, and quality food to our communities. Any time, anywhere.
Our
Values
Vision
We are farmers that live in apartments. We see green fields where others see gray. We fuel blooming communities where others fear urban decay. And we grow the freshest produce on earth. Most of all we know that the crunch of fresh, local, sustainably-grown food sets off a chain reaction of good things in the world. We are Gotham Greens and we grow the most extraordinarily fresh food in extraordinarily fresh places.
Sustainability
Sustainability isn’t just about being smarter. It means changing the way we think. Working indoors means we can grow more produce (per square foot per year) than possible with conventional farming. Plus, a unique hydroponic greenhouse technology means using less land, less water and less energy, while producing less pollution and less waste.
Technology
Our latest greenhouses are advanced, data-driven, climate-controlled facilities — the most efficient production systems available today. These greenhouses are some of the highest-yielding farms around, and use less energy, less land and less water than other farming techniques. Plus, advancements in machine learning and data analysis allow us to monitor our crop’s health and progress, so we can deliver a fresher, more delicious product. Happy greens make happy people.
Community
We’re committed to creating jobs for local residents from our communities. In addition to healthy, and enjoyable year-round work, we’re also dedicated to urban renewal and becoming permanent fixtures in the neighborhoods surrounding our greenhouses. By partnering with schools, community gardens, non-profits, and businesses, we help to put better food on the table, to build a better quality of life.
We are proud to support initiatives helping those in need, including City Harvest, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Green Bronx Machine, Gardeneers, Wellness in the Schools and Rescuing Food for New York’s Hungry.
Locality
While there are many ways to farm responsibly and sustainably, our approach is designed to bring the farm closer to you.
Building greenhouses next to large urban populations and distributing regionally allows us to reduce transportation time, fuel consumption and associated emissions. Our greens get where they’re going faster, stay fresh longer (like, a lot longer), retain more of their nutrients and reduce food waste.
Quality
Our produce isn’t the best because of how we grow, it’s the best because of who grows it. Our greenhouses are built upon the collective values, talents and energy of our diverse team. While our technology has redefined urban agriculture, our dedicated farmers are the real secret to producing and delivering delicious fresh food, from seed to store.
Our History
The Very First Sprout
Born in Brooklyn, NY by founders with a vision for a local, high-tech, urban farm that could transform how New Yorkers could source their fresh produce – all year round.
First Commercial Scale Rooftop Greenhouse Facility in the US
Gotham Greens designed and built its flagship greenhouse in the Greenpoint neighborhood in Brooklyn. The state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse facility represented a shift in the concept of urban farming: from seasonal community gardening resource to a year-round, viable, commercial scale farming enterprise. The greenhouse remains one of the most high profile contemporary urban agriculture projects worldwide.
First Commercial-Scale Greenhouse Farm Integrated into a Supermarket Worldwide
Gotham Greens designed, built and opened its second greenhouse, located on the rooftop of Whole Foods Market’s flagship Brooklyn store, directly supplying the store and nearby restaurant with fresh produce all year-round.
World’s Largest Rooftop Greenhouse in Chicago
Gotham Greens expands to Chicago, IL with a 75,000sq ft. greenhouse to the serve the Midwest region. The greenhouse developed in partnership with Method, is built in the historic Pullman neighborhood on the city’s far south side.
Gotham Greens’ Third and Largest New York City Greenhouse Facility
Spanning 60,000 sq. ft. the rooftop greenhouse located in the Jamaica section of Queens, NY is built on the former Ideal Toy Company factory and serves the NY Tri-State region.
New Greenhouses in Chicago, IL, Providence, RI, and Baltimore, MD
By the end of 2019 Gotham Greens expands to 8 greenhouse facilities in 5 US states and regional distribution to over 30 US states. The company grows to over 300 full time team members.
Our Leadership
Viraj Puri co-founded Gotham Greens in 2009 after leading start-up enterprises in the US, India and Malawi focused on sustainable agriculture, green building, renewable energy and environmental design. He has been awarded fellowships from TED, Wild Gift and the Environmental Leadership Program and recognized by Crain’s NY Business as ’40 under 40’. His work has been published in several books and journals, including “Innovation on Tap,” “100% Renewable: Energy Autonomy in Action” and the UN Academic Journal. Viraj is a LEED® Accredited Professional and earned a bachelor’s degree from Colgate University.
Viraj Puri
Eric Haley co-founded Gotham Greens in 2009 and serves as the Chief Financial Officer overseeing the company’s financial operations. He began his career in finance specializing in M&A, capital raising and strategic consulting at JPMorgan Chase and Corporate Fuel Partners. Eric received an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance from the University of Wyoming, where he also played Division I football. When Eric is not exploring the next great restaurant or cooking at home, he can be found spending time with his family and their dog, Beatrice.
Eric Haley
Before joining Gotham Greens as its Chief Agriculture Officer in 2009, Jennifer Nelkin Frymark designed and operated greenhouses and indoor farming facilities around the world. She has extensive experience in greenhouse system design, plant nutrition, crop and pest management, sensors and controls, and staff training. Previously, Jenn worked at the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center and managed greenhouses in Antarctica providing fresh vegetables for U.S. research scientists. She also worked in the greenhouse at the Cuisinart Resort and Spa in Anguilla, and designed and led operations of the Science Barge in New York City. Jenn received a master’s degree in plant sciences from the University of Arizona and a bachelor’s degree in plant biology from Arizona State University.
Jenn Frymark
Gotham Greens is built upon the collective values, talents and energy of our diverse people. We employ over 300 full-time team members across our Brooklyn headquarters and regional greenhouses.
Our Greenhouses
Our technologically advanced, urban greenhouses yield a year-round, local supply of premium-quality produce grown under the highest standards of food safety and environmental sustainability.