The two companies forge ahead with a shared commitment to make nutrition accessible nationwide

AeroFarms, an indoor vertical farming company and the leading supplier of microgreens to the U.S. retail market, celebrates eight years of partnership with Whole Foods Market (WFM), working closely together to pioneer a new microgreens segment within the leafy greens category. The two companies share a common vision of ensuring access to nutrient-dense food options nationwide by offering AeroFarms microgreens in all Whole Foods stores across the country. AeroFarms currently offers seven microgreen products, celebrated among consumers for their robust taste, versatility of use, and nutritional benefits, with 4-to-40x more vitamins and phytonutrients than that of their mature vegetable counterparts.1

Since 2017, WFM has partnered with AeroFarms to conduct market research and testing in the natural channel. Together, they created a new segment within the leafy greens category, changing the way shoppers buy and use microgreens by positioning the AeroFarms portfolio of microgreen products in the packaged salad set. This merchandising strategy has shifted how shoppers use microgreens - moving them from a garnish to center-of-the-plate salads.

"From the beginning, WFM has been a fantastic partner, prioritizing innovation and recognizing the opportunity for microgreens to make a significant contribution to a healthy consumer diet," said Dane Almassy, SVP of Sales & Marketing at AeroFarms. "Whole Foods' in-store merchandising and execution of AeroFarms in the salad set has transformed the way consumers think about and use microgreens. The wide variety of flavors that AeroFarms offers can elevate a broad array of food occasions as the primary ingredient in salads, power bowls, sandwiches, and more."

Initially, WFM took a risk in devoting valuable real estate to microgreens in their salad set, realizing the market growth opportunity and the consumer appetite for sustainable foods that don't sacrifice taste, texture, and nutrition.2,3 With the longest shelf-life on the market and a FlavorSpectrum™ of versatile flavors that pack exceptional nutrition value, AeroFarms microgreens have exceeded expectations and delivered sales velocity that exceed or are on par with that of branded packaged salad sets.

"Partnering with AeroFarms, who is laser-focused on accessibility of nutrient-dense food options, was a no-brainer," said Whole Foods Market Global Produce Category Manager, Eric Cusimano. "AeroFarms delivers microgreens with the longest shelf life on the market, which enables us to deliver their microgreens to shoppers across the nation. Our ethos is to nourish people and our planet, and AeroFarms shares that - making nutrition-packed microgreens accessible to U.S. shoppers while using less resources, like water and land, to do so."

Today, AeroFarms is the leading supplier in the U.S. microgreens category, with over 70% share of the U.S. retail market. AeroFarms' portfolio of seven microgreen products, including the company's new and first-to-market in the U.S., Micro Bok Choy, are available nationwide in Whole Foods Market stores.

To find AeroFarms microgreens at a Whole Foods Market store near you, visit www.aerofarms.com.

About AeroFarms

New AeroFarms, Inc. is an indoor vertical farming company and the leading U.S. provider of microgreens, commanding over 70% of the retail market share.4 AeroFarms is at the forefront of sustainable agriculture, leveraging patented aeroponics technology, automated conveyance systems, robotics, and AI to cultivate healthy microgreens that thrive. AeroFarms uses 100% renewable energy and is climate-agnostic, growing plants year-round, regardless of geography and weather conditions. AeroFarms uses 230x less land and 90% less water than traditional field farming. As a Certified B Corporation, AeroFarms is dedicated to meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental performance. Learn more and find AeroFarms microgreens nearby at www.aerofarms.com.