Farm Box Foods
FarmBox Foods designs, manufactures, and sells controlled-climate container farms built from upcycled shipping containers, serving education, healthcare, restaurant, grocery, nonprofit, government, and remote-island customers with vertical hydroponics, mushroom, and livestock-fodder growing systems.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSedalia, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Farm Box Foods does
FarmBox Foods, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Aurora, Colorado, designs, manufactures, and sells controlled-climate container farms built from upcycled shipping containers. Its product portfolio comprises four core SKUs: a 320-square-foot Vertical Hydroponic Farm for leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens; a Gourmet Mushroom Farm with dedicated colonization and fruiting rooms for specialty fungi; a Hydroponic Fodder Farm that produces sprouted barley for livestock feed; and a smaller unit called The SideKick. Each farm is equipped with full-spectrum LED lighting, climate control, vertical growing racks, and a closed-loop watering system that uses 3-5 gallons of water per day, and is integrated with Agrowtek automation accessible through the company's proprietary Grow Software Technology platform for remote monitoring and control.
The company sells primarily through a direct, sales-led motion targeting nine distinct verticals: education institutions, restaurants and hospitality, grocery retailers, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, residential communities, government and correctional facilities, traditional farmers, and islands/remote locations. Large institutional deals (for example, a $1.7 million multi-campus grant deployment at The Villages Charter School) are handled through enterprise field sales, while multi-year contracts, financing partnerships with AgFi, USDA FSA, and Compeer Financial, and an ongoing customer portal layer in professional services, managed services, and a light subscription component on top of one-time hardware sales. Revenue streams therefore span hardware, services, financing facilitation, and recurring support.
Operationally, FarmBox ships globally with logistics partner Absolute Logistics and provides online and in-person training, one year of warranty, and one year of operational support with each installation. The company is led by CEO Rusty Walker, founder Tony English, COO Joseph Cammack, and VP of Operations Jason Brown, who originally prototyped the Vertical Hydroponic Farm. Ownership remains founder-controlled and privately held with no disclosed institutional funding.
Farm Box Foods firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Farm Box Foods
- Legal name
- FarmBox Foods
- Website
- https://farmboxfoods.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- FarmBox Foods designs, manufactures, and sells controlled-climate container farms built from upcycled shipping containers, serving education, healthcare, restaurant, grocery, nonprofit, government, and remote-island customers with vertical hydroponics, mushroom, and livestock-fodder growing systems.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Farm Box Foods industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Controlled-Environment Agriculture Equipment
- NAICS
- Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419), Mushroom Production (111411)
- SIC
- Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Leafy Greens Farming (Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Arugula, Chard) (AFAGADAA), Sprouts & Microgreens Farming (Alfalfa Sprouts, Microgreens, Wheatgrass) (AFAGADAL), Hydroponic / Controlled-Environment Produce Wholesale (AFAIACAM)
Keywords
Where Farm Box Foods is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sedalia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Farm Box Foods business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Container Farm Hardware Sales: Sale of complete controlled-climate container farms including Vertical Hydroponic Farm, Gourmet Mushroom Farm, Hydroponic Fodder Farm, and The SideKick. One-time purchase of the physical farm unit which is manufactured and shipped to customer locations worldwide. Includes equipment, full-spectrum LED lighting, climate control systems, and remote monitoring capabilities.
- Training and Support Services: Online and in-person training, site prep support, one year of free operational support, and one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty included with each farm. Deployment team assists with installation and startup.
- Financing and Leasing Programs: Container farm financing loan and leasing options for qualified customers through partner organizations including AgFi, USDA Farm Service Agency, and Compeer Financial.
- Customer Portal and Ongoing Support: Customer portal for ticket management and ongoing operational support for farm operators.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom Quote-Based Pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Farm Box Foods product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FarmBox Foods designs, builds, sells, and supports controlled-climate container farms for cultivating gourmet mushrooms, leafy greens, culinary herbs, microgreens, and barley fodder. Its product line includes the Vertical Hydroponic Farm, Gourmet Mushroom Farm, Hydroponic Fodder Farm, and The SideKick, all powered by integrated Agrowtek® automation and the proprietary Grow Software Technology platform. The company also provides training, site prep, one-year operational support, and bumper-to-bumper warranty with each purchase.
Product overview
FarmBox Foods offers a portfolio of controlled-climate container farm products designed, built, sold, and supported as a unified ecosystem. The core product line consists of three main container farm systems: the Vertical Hydroponic Farm for growing leafy greens, herbs, and vegetables; the Gourmet Mushroom Farm for cultivating gourmet mushroom varieties; and the Hydroponic Fodder Farm for producing livestock feed. The company also offers The SideKick as a compact supplementary option. All farms are powered by the proprietary Grow Software Technology platform with integrated Agrowtek® automation, enabling remote monitoring and control of climate, lighting, and irrigation systems. The farms share a common 320-square-foot container form factor with vertical growing technology, climate control, and water-efficient closed-loop systems. The company provides financing options, logistics support, training, and one-year operational support and warranty with each purchase.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BeatBox Farms: A branded Vertical Hydroponic Farm operated by Edible Beats restaurant group in Denver, Colorado.
- GardenBox
- The SideKick
Products and services
- Vertical Hydroponic Farm A 320-square-foot controlled-climate container farm using patented vertical farming technology inside upcycled shipping containers. Enables year-round cultivation of leafy greens, culinary herbs, microgreens, and vegetables with full-spectrum LED lighting, remote monitoring, and advanced climate control. Uses 3-5 gallons of water per day through a closed-loop system and produces yields equivalent to 2-2.5 acres of traditional farmland.
- Gourmet Mushroom Farm A container-based controlled-environment farm designed for cultivating gourmet mushrooms including lion's mane, blue oyster, golden oyster, chestnut, king trumpet, reishi, enoki, and pioppino varieties. Features a specialized lab, colonization room, and fruiting room with precise climate control for optimal mushroom growth.
- Hydroponic Fodder Farm A modular container farm system for growing barley fodder (sprouted grains) as livestock feed year-round. Enables consistent feed production regardless of weather conditions and supports livestock nutrition programs, particularly in educational and agricultural settings.
- The SideKick
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% less water usage compared to traditional farming
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Farm Box Foods
Customer profileNamed customers25 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Farm Box Foods technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature7 records
Farm Box Foods partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CommonSpirit HealthcoreHealthcare system donated container farm to National Western Center in Denver, run by Focus Points Family Resource Center for underserved community food access.
- JFS Altius FarmscoreJewish Family Service subsidiary operating two mushroom containers producing 400+ lbs of mushrooms weekly for restaurants, grocers, and food pantry.
- WellstarcoreHealthcare system operating WellFarm vertical hydroponic farm at headquarters producing fresh produce for community health initiative.
- Edible Beats / BeatBox FarmscoreDenver restaurant group operating BeatBox Farms to supply fresh greens to five restaurants including Linger, Root Down, Vital Root, Ophelia's and El Five.
- International Phytobiomes AllianceminorFarmBox Foods joined the International Phytobiomes Alliance to advance research on plant-microbe interactions and sustainable agriculture.
- C Lazy U RanchcoreLuxury dude ranch in Colorado using Vertical Hydroponic Farm for farm-to-table dining experience and guest education.
- MegaMartcoreJamaican grocery chain growing leafy greens and herbs outside Montego Bay store with interest in replicating program across Caribbean islands.
- NASAminorPartner logo displayed on FarmBox Foods website. NASA partnership indicates broad reach of container farming applications.
- Denver ZoominorPartner logo displayed on FarmBox Foods website. Zoo uses container farms for sustainable food sourcing.
- Morgan Community CollegecoreEducational institution using Vertical Hydroponic Farm for teaching sustainable agriculture across multiple academic programs including biology, agronomy, and precision agriculture.
- Bureau of PrisonsminorPartner logo displayed on FarmBox Foods website. FCI Coleman Low uses container farm for workforce development.
- Colorado Farm BureauminorPartner logo displayed on FarmBox Foods website indicating industry recognition and partnership.
- Focus Points Family Resource CentercoreNonprofit operating container farm at National Western Center for workforce development and pay-what-you-can market in food desert community.
- Natural GrocerscoreColorado-based health food chain using FarmBox Foods GardenBox containers to grow certified organic lettuce varieties at store locations.
- Absolute LogisticscoreLogistics partner for transporting and delivering container farms to customer locations worldwide.
- RK Mission CriticalminorEquipment provider for prefabrication and manufacturing support of container farm components.
- CORE Electric CooperativecoreElectric cooperative partnership to grow tree seedlings for reforestation efforts using container farm technology.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Farm Box Foods competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bowery Farming: Bowery Farming operates large-scale indoor vertical farms supplying grocery and restaurant customers with leafy greens and herbs. While not a container farm manufacturer, Bowery is a comparable technology-driven indoor ag player targeting similar end markets and could be a competitor for institutional buyer attention.
- BrightFarms: BrightFarms builds and operates large greenhouse farms supplying grocery retailers with locally grown leafy greens and herbs. Comparable to FarmBox's grocery segment (Natural Grocers GardenBox) and to MegaMart's in-store pilot model, though at industrial scale rather than containerized.
- Plenty: Plenty is a well-funded vertical farming incumbent building large indoor farms. While focused on industrial-scale production rather than containers, Plenty operates in the same controlled-environment agriculture category and targets similar end-customers (retail, restaurants). A potential competitive threat if it moves into modular/containerized formats.
- AeroFarms: AeroFarms is a well-capitalized indoor vertical farming incumbent operating large-scale commercial facilities, not container farms. Comparable in technology (controlled environment agriculture, aeroponics/hydroponics) and crop focus (leafy greens, herbs) but serves a much larger commercial grocery and foodservice customer base from industrial facilities.
Direct peers
- Growtainer: Growtainer designs and manufactures custom containerized hydroponic farms, similar in form factor and use cases to FarmBox's Vertical Hydroponic Farm. Direct competitor for institutional, agricultural, and remote-location food production customers.
- Babylon Micro-Farms: Babylon Micro-Farms makes indoor vertical farming systems targeted at food service, healthcare, and education customers with a smaller footprint than FarmBox's 320 sq ft container. Comparable in target verticals, hydroponic growing method, and subscription/managed-service business model.
- Urban Crop Solutions: Urban Crop Solutions manufactures indoor vertical farming systems for both container and warehouse formats, with research and commercial installations worldwide. Comparable in hydroponic technology, B2B sales motion, and institutional customer focus.
- Freight Farms: Freight Farms was the most well-known direct competitor in containerized vertical farming, producing the Greenery and similar 40-foot shipping container farms. FarmBox is actively absorbing customers displaced by Freight Farms' 2025 closure, making it the closest comparable in form factor, customer base (institutions, restaurants, schools), and GTM motion.
- Smallhold: Smallhold is a direct competitor in the gourmet mushroom container farming space, building controlled-environment farms for restaurants and grocers. FarmBox's Gourmet Mushroom Farm (capable of 400+ lbs/week at JFS Altius Farms) competes head-to-head on variety, yield, and institutional customer base.
- CropBox: CropBox produces shipping container-based hydroponic and aquaponic farms for commercial and educational use. Comparable in product format (container farms), customer verticals (education, commercial growers), and turnkey hardware + support offering.
Market position
Strengths6 records
Weaknesses6 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Farm Box Foods financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Farm Box Foods leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Farm Box Foods funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Farm Box Foods M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Farm Box Foods
What does Farm Box Foods do?
FarmBox Foods designs, builds, sells, and supports controlled-climate container farms for cultivating gourmet mushrooms, leafy greens, culinary herbs, microgreens, and barley fodder. Its product line includes the Vertical Hydroponic Farm, Gourmet Mushroom Farm, Hydroponic Fodder Farm, and The SideKick, all powered by integrated Agrowtek® automation and the proprietary Grow Software Technology platform. The company also provides training, site prep, one-year operational support, and bumper-to-bumper warranty with each purchase.
Is Farm Box Foods a public or private company?
Farm Box Foods is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Farm Box Foods founded?
Farm Box Foods was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Farm Box Foods based?
Farm Box Foods is headquartered in Sedalia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Farm Box Foods make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Container Farm Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are training and Support Services, financing and Leasing Programs and customer Portal and Ongoing Support.
Who are Farm Box Foods's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bowery Farming, BrightFarms, Plenty and AeroFarms. Direct peers are Growtainer, Babylon Micro-Farms, Urban Crop Solutions, Freight Farms, Smallhold and CropBox.
Does Farm Box Foods have an API?
No public API is recorded for Farm Box Foods.
What industry is Farm Box Foods in?
Farm Box Foods's product category is Controlled-Environment Agriculture Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAJAG, Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support), with a secondary code of AFAGADAA, Leafy Greens Farming (Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Arugula, Chard). Its NAICS code is 333111 and its SIC code is 3523.