“We will grow more than 50 million pounds of sustainable fruits and vegetables a year to be distributed to premium customers throughout the U.S.,” according to the team with Bluehouse Greenhouse. “We will tailor specialty product offerings for Longvine, to support the growing demand for fresh, sustainable produce.”
The Longvine Growing Co. rebranding project was initiated in early 2020 as the Houweling Family exited its ownership position from the U.S/ operations. Longvine recently reported the sale and transition of the 125-acre Camarillo, CA. greenhouse, which the company leased and operated. The new brand showcases the company’s new vision and direction in the marketplace while building off its 25-year history under the Houweling’s brand across North America.
In addition to providing market access to a robust customer base, the partnership also allows the Bluehouse team to unlock the established growing, technical, and service expertise among the Longvine Growing Co. team when commissioning the new facility.
“Sustainability, quality, taste, and price drive consumer purchases, while food safety, traceability, consistency, and high service levels are key drivers for retailers and foodservice operators. Being able to draw on Longvine’s strong reputation and experience in these areas is instrumental in meeting the increasingly stringent demands within controlled environment agriculture,” says Ari Kashani, Founder of Bluehouse Greenhouse.
“The addition of the state-of-the-art Bluehouse project offers Longvine another flagship example of sustainable and high-density agriculture, alongside its Mona, UT, facility and headquarters,” says Longvine CEO Kevin Doran. “We’ve partnered with a passionate operator and entrepreneur who has pulled together a talented team. They have the right operational mindset, strong vision, and they ask the right questions to successfully execute as an operator of a high-tech, modern growing operation. We are excited to support their team in bringing the project to life, which will in turn add value to our customer portfolio.”
The Bluehouse Greenhouse master plan development located in Southern California will combine high-tech control systems and automation technologies, with a specially designed energy system maximizing environmental control within the high-tech farm. The greenhouse will use natural sun light as well as sustainable thermal energy to operate its optimized ecosystem.
“We are advancing agriculture into the new era; a more sustainable one. Our controlled greenhouses will produce 3,000% more yield per acre than a traditional farm, will use 95% less water, require 90% less labor, and will be free from any herbicides,” Kashani says. “The highly controlled ecosystem enhances crop growth and quality by maintaining the most comfortable climate for plants to thrive in year-round.”
The 58-acre flagship facility, which includes 38 acres dedicated to high-wire tomato and cucumber crops and 20 aces for lettuce and berry production, has been meticulously designed by ALPS, a world-class design firm focused on the development of high-profile projects in Controlled Environment Agriculture.