Another large indoor farming operation is up and running in Georgia

The first phase of the complex includes 8 acres of growing space under glass, or about 350,000 square feet. The complex near Middle Georgia Regional Airport, about 11 miles south of downtown Macon, could eventually quadruple its indoor growing space.

BrightFarms said the project, including greenhouses, offices and distribution space, could grow in the coming years to 1.5 million square feet, or nearly the total floor space of Lenox Square mall. The facility at full build-out is expected to employ more than 250 workers.

Macon is close to many fast-growing Southeastern metro areas, including Atlanta, said Abby Prior, BrightFarms chief commercial officer. The facility can deliver produce to customers in as quickly as 24 hours of harvest, the company said, putting more fresh food within reach of more communities.

Credit: special

Credit: special

“We knew we wanted to come to the Southeast,” Prior said. “When looking at potential locations, Georgia was just a very friendly location in terms of welcoming growers and bringing agriculture back to the state.”

The facility, which is highly automated, employs seeders, harvesters, packers and people in supervisory roles.

Georgia has become an emerging hub for indoor agriculture, which proponents say produces high crop yields and uses less water.

Growing crops indoors increases yields with longer growing seasons and allows growers to not use pesticides and other harmful chemicals. The facilities can automate some functions to reduce the physical burden on workers.

BrightFarms is part of Cox Farms, the indoor agriculture division of family-owned Cox Enterprises. Cox Farms, which also owns Mucci Farms, is the largest greenhouse owner in North America.

BrightFarms did not disclose its investment in the campus.

Cox, which is headquartered in Sandy Springs, has core businesses that include broadband provider Cox Communications, Cox Automotive and media companies, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Cox indoor farming business generates about $1 billion in annual revenue, according to a news release.

Cox has spent billions in recent years diversifying its holdings into software, clean energy, electric vehicles, health and other sectors.

The facility is growing crispy green leaf, spring mix, butter, red leaf and romaine lettuce that are sold in package. The produce also forms the basis of four salad kits produced by BrightFarms.

The first phase of the Macon greenhouse is capable of producing some 6 million pounds of greens per year, Prior said.

“They don’t weigh very much so that’s a lot of lettuce,” she said.

The retail salad sector, which includes salad kits and packaged lettuce, is an $8 billion industry, Prior said, and indoor grown products are the growth driver for the sector.

BrightFarms has also recently expanded operations in Illinois and Texas.