Born in the 1980s as a hydroponic research project, second-generation family-owned Goodness Gardens now grows, packs, and distributes fresh culinary herbs and specialty produce. Its more than 1 million square feet of growing space across five states supports retail and foodservice customers from the East Coast to the Midwest, with a cold-chain operation that moves herbs from harvest to customer in under 36 hours. Goodness Gardens maintains PrimusGFS and USDA National Organic Program certifications alongside GFSI compliance.
PrimusGFS Certification
USDA National Organic Program (NOP) Certification
GFSI-benchmarked food safety standards
Compliance program
FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) compliance
Compliance program
USDANOP
Quality certification
Gotham GreensFounded in Brooklyn in 2009, Gotham Greens grows leafy greens and herbs year-round in climate-controlled hydroponic greenhouses, then turns them into fresh salad kits, dressings, sauces and dips. Its rooftop and urban farms bring production close to major population centers, with the company’s network now spanning 1.8 million square feet across the country. Gotham Greens is also a Certified B Corporation and emphasizes reduced water use, shorter transportation distances and daily harvest-to-pack operations.BROOKLYN, NY
Pete Pappas & Sons IncSince 1942, fourth-generation family business Pete Pappas & Sons has grown from a tomato repacking operation into a vertically integrated grower, packer, shipper and distributor of fresh produce. Its Smoky Mountain Family Farms operation adds field-grown Tennessee tomatoes to a business rooted in the Washington-Baltimore produce trade, while its Jessup facility serves grocery and foodservice customers throughout the Eastern Seaboard. The company pairs that multigenerational produce heritage with USDA Organic certification, a 100% GFSI rating and documented waste-reduction work.JESSUP, MD
District FarmsDistrict Farms grows leafy greens year-round in a high-tech, hydroponic greenhouse on a 40-acre site in Frederick, Maryland. Its indoor closed-loop system uses over 90% less water than conventional farming, while local distribution can put greens on tables the same day they are harvested. The locally owned farm grows without pesticides or herbicides and uses sensors to monitor growing conditions from seed through harvest.FREDERICK, MD
Element FarmsElement Farms grows tender, pesticide-free baby greens hydroponically in a glass greenhouse in Lafayette, New Jersey. Its controlled, technology-driven operation produces spinach consistently year-round, using the sun and recirculated water while delivering greens locally—often from farm to store in under 24 hours. The farm says it uses 90% less water than conventional farming and is non-GMO certified.