There’s a whole lotta lettuce behind $8M Pasco greenhouse expansion plan
Local Bounti Corp. plans to double the size of the greenhouse where it grows acres of lettuce in east Pasco.
Growth Bounti Northwest is seeking approval to build a second phase to add 3.5 acres of greenhouse to the current facility, according to documents filed with the state and the city of Pasco.
The company intends to build an $8 million greenhouse starting this fall.
The 152,000-square-foot building would be built alongside the first phase, which includes a 202,000-square-foot greenhouse and a 78,200-square-foot support facility in the shadow of Big Pasco Industrial Park.
Together, the two phases would total nearly seven acres of growing space at 950 S. Elm Ave. and employ 60 workers.
Growth Bounti Northwest LLC is an operating arm of the Livingston, Mont., ag-tech firm.
Fresh greens
Local Bounti formed in 2021 to capitalize on growing demand for fresh produce. It cultivates lettuce and fresh greens in hydroponic facilities where controlled conditions allow it to operate more efficiently than traditional fields.
The first phase opened this year and produces spring mix, butter lettuce, romaine crisp, green leaf and other lettuce blends. Greens raised in Pasco are distributed to groceries around the Northwest.
It dedicated the Pasco facility in May.
Growth Bounti will serve as its own contractor. Phoenix architect Navin Pathangay is the designer, according to a building permit application pending with the city.
Local Bounti first eyed Pasco for its first major greenhouse in 2021 as it launched its business model. It paused its efforts while it acquired Hollandia Produce Group Inc., aka “Pete’s,” a rival indoor agriculture firm that came with its own set of greenhouses.
$400 million deal
Work in Pasco restarted in 2022, setting the stage for operations to begin in 2024.
Today, it has greenhouses in Texas, California and Georgia, as well as Pasco.
In its second quarter earnings report, released in August, Local Bounti was negotiating a deal to expand its capital commitments to about $400 million to support future projects.
It reported second quarter sales of $9.4 million, a 31% increase reflecting growth in production capacity at its growing network of greenhouses.
Its products are sold locally at Yoke’s Fresh Markets.
This story was originally published September 6, 2024 at 5:00 AM.