Planted Detroit is looking to make a fresh start this year.
The indoor urban farm in Detroit’s Islandview neighborhood has announced its relaunch, including its salad delivery program, with five new salad bowls that can be ordered online.
Planted Detroit grows its salad greens indoors using hydroponics, allowing the farm to provide its fresh produce year-round. It was considered Michigan’s largest vertical farming operation (literally, the greens are grown on shelves) but closed in August.
The company cited unsustainable operation costs at the time and was seeking investors to help fund the business. It first opened its indoor growing facility in 2018 and has had to close twice. This time around, they have several partnerships to handle some of the operations.
“New strategic partnerships are the reason Planted Detroit was able to re-open,” Planted Detroit Founder and CEO Tom Adamczyk tells Metro Times via email. “Prior to August 2023, Planted Detroit was 100% vertically integrated: growing, sourcing, packaging, & distributing. During Planted Detroit’s shutdown, which began on August 4th, 2023, our team worked diligently to secure strategic partnerships so that we can focus on being a farm and providing fresh produce to all of Michigan.”
JLM Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Lipari Foods in Warren, will assemble the salads, and companies including Carmela Foods, Frog Holler, and La Grasso Brothers Produce will handle distribution. The salad toppings and dressings are being provided by Lipari Foods and delivery in metro Detroit is through a partnership with FULFLLD.
Adamczyk says the salad greens are still being grown in the same Islandview facility by former employees who were rehired. When the farm closed in August, Planted Detroit laid off over 40 workers, but Adamczyk says they brought back at least seven staff members so far with plans to bring back more once sales pick up.
The farm worked with its partners to redesign its products, so you won’t see any of the old favorites like the Belle Isle or Conner Creek salad. They are now offering “salad bowls” that Adamczyk says have a shelf life of up to 14 days.
These include a pearled couscous salad bowl, spicy avocado bowl, vegan golden sesame bowl, protein fusion bowl, and sweet and savory salad bowl. Most are vegetarian with some gluten-free options available.
“We have been able to lower the cost of our salads by leveraging our partners’ cost savings, size, and efficiencies for our non-core business,” he says. “The love and support Planted Detroit has received from the community is a reason for our comeback! Thank you supporters and believers!”
Adamczyk says the salads will be back in Meijer stores soon. The company is supplying events at Eastern Market this month, he adds, and will be assessing getting farmers market stands back, including an Eastern Market booth, in the spring.
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