Search

Smallhold: Changing the Distribution Chain to Fresh Produce

05.28.19 | By
Smallhold: Changing the Distribution Chain to Fresh Produce

New York’s hottest food trend can be spotted anywhere from Mission Chinese to Whole Foods… The tech masterminds at Smallhold are changing the distribution chain when it comes to fresh produce. Smallhold is the first, and only, organic farm in NYC. It’s also the only mushroom farm. This farm isn’t in one place—it’s distributed throughout partner restaurants, grocery stores, and markets; a citywide collective so to speak.

At first glance these futuristic steel cabinets with curved windows that emit neon blue light look like bizarre tanning beds. But they are ultimately one step closer to affordable, local, and accessible urban farming on a scalable level. Each minifarm yields anywhere from 30 to 120lbs of mushrooms per week, and only takes up a footprint of 16 square feet.

Initially Smallhold’s minifarms started as a way for traditional farmers to supplement their off-season production periods. But the interest from brick and mortar establishments has made it so these glowing cabinets are sprouting citywide.

Oh, and did we mention how beautiful and photogenic the mushrooms are… take a look!

Photos by Smallhold and Collin Hughes, courtesy of Freunde von Freunden.

TJ Girard is a sought-after food designer and creative consultant, celebrated for staging theatrical, interactive food + beverage experiences. She now resides in California where her creativity is solar powered! TJ writes the Design Milk column called Taste.