Unveiling the ‘World’s Largest Indoor Organic Farm’ in San Antonio

A technological marvel in organic farming

The city of San Antonio, Texas, now hosts what is believed to be the ‘world’s largest indoor organic farm’. Spearheaded by Soli Organic, a leading Virginia-based grower and marketer of fresh produce, the high-tech facility has recently marked its grand opening in Brooks.

The indoor farm stretches as wide as a city block, boasting long lines of vibrantly healthy herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, and cilantro. Cultivated under illumination as bright as the noonday sun, the plants emanate a captivating organic aroma, as their growth and nourishment processes are taken care of by high-tech machinery.

The significance of the new facility

According to Matt Ryan, the CEO of Soli Organic, the facility is not only the world’s largest indoor organic farm but it’s also designed for optimum efficiency. He states, “The beauty of everything we do with efficient use is that it’s cost-effective at the same time. So our goal is to grow at a substantially lower cost than field farmers.”

Strategically located in San Antonio, in close proximity to major customers such as H-E-B, Walmart, Tom Thumb, and Whole Foods Markets, the new facility mitigates the constraints usually associated with shipping fresh produce long distances, often a catalyst for damage and decreased product quality.

Introducing Soli’s ‘Secret Sauce’

Soli Organic’s Brooks facility nurtures 200,000 plants per week, packing and shipping them nationwide. The facility’s operations start with the soil. Using waste collected from chicken farms instead of synthetic fertilizers, Soli creates a unique nutrient blend Ryan describes as their “secret sauce.”

After the soil is filled into the cells of a tray, seeds are implanted by specialized machines, which also add the organic fertilizer. The trays are then placed in LED nurseries with a consistent climate of 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 100% humidity, the ideal conditions for germination. Once the seedlings have sprouted after about 10 days, the young plants are transferred to the grow room where they continue to grow under controlled light intensity and nutrient-infused water flows.

The Benefits of Indoor Farming

Soli’s facility, though immense in terms of indoor farming, uses only 1/100th of the total land needed for a traditional outdoor farm of a similar scale. Furthermore, it consumes 90% less water, crop for crop. The plants are irrigated from underneath, with the excess water collected, treated, and reused.

When the crops reach maturation after roughly 17 days, they’re mechanically cut from the soil and carefully placed in chilled boxes for transportation or packaging by the team.

Steve Wright, the head of sales for Soli Organic, attributing part of the company’s successful venture to the state’s growing population, said, “Texas is already a primary sourcing point for the national chains for nearly 300 different fresh produce commodities. Adding the mix of salad mixes, herbs, leafy greens and now berries from these Texas [controlled environment agriculture] producers makes all the sense in the world.”