Little Leaf Farms Opens New Pennsylvania Greenhouse, Aims to Trademark Lettuce Shape
June 7, 2023 
Photo Credit: Brian Riedel
Greenhouse lettuce and leafy greens producer Little Leaf Farms will open a new state-of-the-art greenhouse in McAdoo, PA, this fall. It will be the fifth greenhouse for Little Leaf Farms, and the brand’s second greenhouse in Pennsylvania. With the expanded capacity of 10 additional acres of indoor production of fresh, sustainably grown lettuce, Little Leaf Farms will increase its retail presence to nearly 5,000 grocery stores, making its fresh greens available at most major retailers from the Midwest to the Southeast.
The expansion news was shared at a ceremony the brand hosted on May 31, welcoming Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and other state representatives to celebrate Little Leaf Farms’ growth in Pennsylvania. Little Leaf Farms owns 180 acres in McAdoo and has rapidly grown to be the largest producer of indoor-grown leafy greens in the state. The company opened its first 10-acre greenhouse in July of 2022 and expects to employ more than 170 by the end of 2023.
“We believe in the CEA industry’s role in the path to more sustainable produce production and are focused on our mission of delivering fresh and delicious leafy greens to consumers,” says Paul Sellew, Founder and CEO of Little Leaf Farms. “We continue to build on our ambitious plans for growth and our expansion in Pennsylvania is a testament to how we’ve been able to continuously scale our efficient production and operations. We’re thrilled to have increased our retail sales by more than 50% in the past year and to be the #1 brand of packaged lettuce sustainably grown through CEA in the country.”
These 10 additional acres under glass represent a significant capacity increase, enabling Little Leaf Farms to harvest more than 20 million pounds of leafy greens yearly across its sites. The new greenhouse will employ Little Leaf Farms’ state-of-the-art technology and efficiencies, including advanced heating, cooling, and lighting systems, as well as utilize the natural power of the sun and fresh rainwater. The greenhouse will also integrate the brand’s hands-free automated grow system, which means the leafy greens are untouched from seed to packaging and never require washing. Little Leaf Farms’ lettuce is farmed 365 days a year, harvested daily and delivered from greenhouse to grocery store in 24 hours.
“Pennsylvania has a proud agricultural heritage, and our agriculture sector is a key driver of our economy, contributing more than $132 billion to our economy and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs,” says Governor Shapiro. “I want to plant a flag and show the rest of the country that Pennsylvania is a leader in agriculture, job creation, and innovation – and Little Leaf Farms’ investment in our Commonwealth is proof that the future is being grown right here in Carbon County. Pennsylvania is open for business and my Administration will continue to support our farmers, scientists, and entrepreneurs who want to grow and thrive here in the Commonwealth.”
“Pennsylvania has been an excellent partner in bringing our vision for expansion to life,” Sellew says. “With its ideal location on the East Coast, we’ve been able to grow significantly to the Southeast and are now looking forward to even more growth in the Midwest to bring our delicious and fresh greens to more consumers, all still within 24-hours of harvesting for ultimate freshness.”
The brand also presented a $10,000 donation to Feeding Pennsylvania, a local nonprofit that works to secure food and other resources to reduce hunger and food insecurity across the state. The funds will be distributed to Feeding Pennsylvania’s member food banks to assist individuals throughout the area facing food insecurity.
Continuing its mission to transform the way food is grown and bring fresh, leafy greens to all, Little Leaf Farms remains focused on scalable expansion and growth. The brand recently announced its projection to break $100 million in retail sales by the end of 2023, and with capacity to continue building out additional space in Pennsylvania, looks forward to expanding its greenhouse footprint in both Pennsylvania as well as in Devens, MA, where it operates three greenhouses.
Little Leaf Files to Trademark Signature Curve of its Baby Crispy Green Leaf Lettuce
Little Leaf Farms also recently filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to officially trademark the biological morphology, aka shape, of its Baby Crispy Green Leaf lettuce. The application to trademark refers to the lettuce’s signature shape, a rounded curve leading into the ruffled edges of the leafy greens.
The instantly recognizable shape is described as playful, curvaceous, and stunningly bright green. Beyond the distinctive shape, Baby Crispy Green Leaf is known for its fresh, crisp crunch thanks to Little Leaf Farms’ advanced greenhouse technologies and commitment to local delivery within 24 hours from harvest.
“We’re proud of what we do here at Little Leaf Farms and consistent consumer feedback tells us that our fans love spotting us on restaurant menus and in the produce aisles due to the unmistakable shape of our Baby Crispy Green Leaf variety,” says Lindsay Hardie, Vice President of Marketing at Little Leaf Farms. “Consumers have told us time and time again that our lettuce has forever changed their feelings about salad for the better, and that’s why we’re celebrating our unique, showstopping curvy shape this National Salad Month.”
Learn more about the announcement here.
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