Kalera (Euronext Growth Oslo ticker KAL, Bloomberg: KSLLF), the technology leader in urban hydroponics, announces its first harvest in Georgia. Royal Food Service, the leading produce distributor in the state, is one of Kalera’s top partners to bring “pick-to-plate” greens to restaurants, hotels, schools, and other businesses.  

Kalera’s technical advancements result in perfect, clean, flavorful lettuce, year-round     , without pesticides, utilizing clean-room technology to protect the produce from both animal and human pathogens. Kalera is the only controlled environment agriculture company with coast-to-coast facilities being constructed, offering grocers, restaurants, theme parks, airports and other businesses nationwide reliable access to locally grown clean, safe, nutritious, price-stable, long-lasting greens. Once all of these farms are operational, the total projected yield will be over one hundred million headsof lettuce per year. 

“Now more than ever, our customers expect us to provide the most local, cleanest, best tasting produce available,” said Craig Fleming, CEO, Royal Food Service. “Vertical farming is a great way to provide our customers with the freshest quality products grown in a food-safe      and sustainable manner while supporting local farming, year round.”

Kalera’s hydroponic systems allow their lettuce to grow while consuming 95 percent less water than field farmed lettuces while also eliminating the need for chemical pesticide or fertilizer use. Paired with significantly shorter shipping times, Kalera’s operations are more ecofriendly than traditional farming. Additionally, Kalera’s efficient growing methods produce yields that are 300-400 times that of traditional farming, allowing the company to maintain conventional pricing in supermarkets while offering a superior product. 

“It’s great to work with companies such as Royal who understand the importance of offering their customers the safest, freshest, most nutritious greens available for their customers,” said Daniel Malechuk, CEO of Kalera. “When we broke ground on our Atlanta farm, we were determined to partner with the best distributors and retailers in the marketplace who are committed to excellence, innovation, and bringing ‘local back to farming. We’re excited how our values align with those of Royal Food Service and we look forward to growing together.”

Kalera's location, right in the heart of Atlanta, combined with Royal’s best-in-class logistics ensure customers will get greens – including lettuce varieties such as Kalera Krunch, baby romaine, butter and more – within hours of harvest, rather than days or weeks, faster, cleaner and with less of an environmental impact.  Through Royal’s unparalleled  connections, there are already a number of businesses in Georgia purchasing      Kalera’s offerings, including Ansley Golf Club, The Ritz-Carlton at Reynolds, Lake Oconee, The Georgia World Congress Center, several restaurants and many others.