Great Lakes Growers

What Great Lakes Growers does

Great Lakes Growers, founded in 2011 by John Bonner, is a privately held hydroponic greenhouse operator headquartered in Burton, Ohio, that grows premium lettuce and fresh herbs year-round in a single climate-controlled glass greenhouse facility. The company uses water-based hydroponic systems with 100% recycled irrigation, LED grow lighting (30% energy reduction versus comparable operations), and continuous water filtration/monitoring to mitigate food safety risks (E. coli, salmonella, listeria), achieving a 99%+ PRIMUS Global Food Safety audit score and Non-GMO Project certification. Its product portfolio includes living lettuce (roots attached for extended shelf-life), Ohio-branded fresh cut lettuce varieties, and approximately 14 fresh cut herb SKUs, which it sells through four distinct channels: B2B food service to 300+ restaurants across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, and Indiana (case quantities delivered via the company's own truck fleet within a 300-mile radius); retail grocery under its own brand and private label across the Midwest; direct-to-consumer curbside pickup at the greenhouse; and direct-to-consumer home delivery via UPS Ground within 2-day shipping range. Pricing is unit-based across channels, with D2C home delivery SKUs priced at $32.49-$39.99 per pack and curbside at $19.99-$29.99 per pack. The business announced an 80,000 square foot expansion in 2023 to double unit capacity for herbs and leafy greens, indicating a growth-stage operator expanding within its Midwestern footprint rather than a national or commodity-scale producer.

Name

Great Lakes Growers

Legal name

Great Lakes Growers, LLC

Website

https://greatlakesgrowers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great Lakes Growers is a Burton, Ohio-based hydroponic greenhouse founded in 2011 that grows premium living lettuce and fresh herbs, selling through B2B food service (300+ restaurants across five Midwest states), Midwest retail grocery, and direct-to-consumer curbside pickup and UPS home delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydroponic Greenhouse Produce

NAICS

Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Greenhouse Vegetable Production (Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Leafy Greens) (AFAGAHAA), Greenhouse Herb & Microgreens Production (Culinary Herbs, Microgreens) (AFAGAHAC), Hydroponic / Controlled-Environment Produce Wholesale (AFAIACAM)

Keywords

• Hydroponic greenhouse growing
• Fresh lettuce production
• Living lettuce packaging
• Greenhouse herb farming
• Controlled environment agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Burton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Produce Sales: Sale of greenhouse-grown lettuce and herbs through retail grocery stores across the Midwest, sold under Great Lakes Growers brand name and private label arrangements with retailers.
2. Food Service Sales: Bulk produce sales to restaurants and foodservice operators in case quantities, providing reliable year-round supply of fresh lettuce and herbs to over 300 restaurant locations.
3. Direct-to-Consumer Curbside Pickup: Single-order curbside pickup service where customers order online and pick up at the greenhouse. Orders are harvested the same day of pickup, offering maximum freshness.
4. Direct-to-Consumer Home Delivery: Home delivery of living lettuce products shipped via UPS to customers within 2-day ground delivery range. Products ship on Tuesdays after orders are harvested.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Great Lakes Growers operates a state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse in Burton, Ohio that grows, packages, and distributes premium fresh-cut and living lettuce varieties plus a full line of fresh culinary herbs. Products are sold to restaurants and food service operators across five Midwestern states, to retail grocery stores throughout the Midwest under both the company's brand and private label, and directly to consumers via curbside pickup at the greenhouse and home delivery via UPS.

Product overview

Great Lakes Growers is a Midwest hydroponic greenhouse grower offering premium lettuce and herbs through multiple channels. The core product portfolio includes Living Lettuce (roots-attached for extended shelf-life), Ohio Fresh Cut Lettuce varieties (Baby Iceberg, Baby Romaine, Spinach, Lake Erie Crunch, Spring Mix, Romaine, Sweet Crispy Blend, Sweet Select Salad, Tender Butter Blend, Watercress, Zesty Arugula), Fresh Cut Herbs (14 varieties including Basil, Bay Leaves, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Parsley, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, Thyme), and Living Basil. Products are available through retail grocery stores (brand name and private label), food service (bulk case quantities to 300+ restaurants in 5 states), curbside pickup (same-day harvest), and home delivery (living lettuce shipped directly to consumers within 2-day UPS range). The company operates a state-of-the-art greenhouse in Burton, Ohio, growing everything year-round with 90%+ less water than traditional farming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Living Lettuce
• Ohio Fresh Cut Lettuce Fresh cut lettuce line including Baby Iceberg, Baby Romaine, Gourmet Baby Spinach, Lake Erie Crunch, Ohio Spring Mix, Romaine, Sweet Crispy Blend, Sweet Select Salad, Tender Butter Blend, Watercress Salad Blend, Wonderful Watercress, and Zesty Arugula, branded to highlight Ohio-grown origin.
• Fresh Cut Herbs Fresh cut culinary herbs packaged in 0.75 oz containers including Basil, Bay Leaves, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Italian Parsley, Lemongrass, Marjoram, Mint, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Tarragon, and Thyme, sold to retail grocery customers.
• Living Basil Basil with roots still attached, packaged to keep the plant alive so consumers can enjoy fresh basil for weeks when properly cared for.
• Food Service Lettuce & Greens Bulk lettuce and greens sold in case quantities to restaurant and food service operators. Includes Salad Trio, Green and Red Butter Lettuce, Garden Blend, Icicle Lettuce, Crunchita, Mixed Sweet Frisee, Green Leaf, Ohio Sweet Hearts, Upland Cress, and fresh cut varieties.
• Food Service Fresh Cut Herbs Bulk fresh cut herbs for food service in 4 oz and 16 oz sizes, including Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Mint, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme.
• Curbside Pickup Same-day harvest pickup service where consumers order online and pick up at the greenhouse in Burton, Ohio. Products include Assorted Living Lettuce (8-head, $29.99), Icicle Lettuce (6-head, $22.49), Crunchita Lettuce (6-head, $22.49), Salad Trio Lettuce (6-head, $22.49), 4-Pack Living Lettuce ($19.99), Living Basil (1 LB, $19.99), Living Watercress (5 heads, $19.99), and Living Spinach (2 LB, $19.99).
• Home Delivery Direct-to-door delivery service shipping living lettuce with roots still attached. Products include 8-Pack of Living Lettuce ($39.99), Icicle Lettuce ($32.49), Salad Trio Lettuce, Crunchita Lettuce, Fresh Cut Arugula, and assorted 5 oz containers ($33.99). Ships via UPS Ground on Tuesdays only to locations within 2-day ground shipment range of Burton, Ohio.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90+% less water usage than traditional farming
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered notable, core and minor.

• Heinen's Grocery StorenotableChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHeinen's features Great Lakes Growers products as part of their 'Always Growing Local' campaign, highlighting the local Ohio sourcing of fresh produce. Partnership showcases commitment to regional food supply and community agriculture.
• PRIMUS Global Food SafetycoreOthersIndependent third-party food safety audit organization that conducts annual audits of Great Lakes Growers' greenhouse facility, packing house, and employee operating procedures. Company maintains 99%+ food safety scores.
• Perishable NewsminorOthersIndustry publication that has covered Great Lakes Growers expansion announcements and Non-GMO certification news.
• Vegetable Growers NewsminorOthersTrade publication that featured Great Lakes Growers as an Ohio greenhouse becoming a lettuce leader in the Midwest.
• Berkshire High SchoolnotableOthersLocal school district receiving fresh greens from Great Lakes Growers for cafeteria use, demonstrating community engagement.
• UPScoreOthersShipping carrier used for home delivery operations. Orders are shipped UPS Ground to customers within 2-day delivery range of the Ohio greenhouse.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BrightFarms: BrightFarms operates regional hydroponic greenhouses supplying packaged lettuce and leafy greens to grocery retailers. Directly comparable to Great Lakes Growers in product category (hydroponic greenhouse leafy greens), customer base (Mid-Atlantic and Midwest grocery chains), and GTM (private label + branded retail leafy greens).
• Gotham Greens: Gotham Greens runs climate-controlled hydroponic greenhouses producing fresh lettuce, herbs, and salad greens for grocery retail and foodservice. Directly comparable in controlled-environment agriculture production, multi-channel distribution (retail, foodservice, DTC), and greenhouse-grown leafy greens/herbs product mix.
• Revol Greens: Revol Greens operates regional hydroponic greenhouses producing greenhouse-grown lettuces and leafy greens for retail grocery. Closely comparable as a regional CEA operator focused on packaged salad and lettuce SKUs sold through supermarket chains, similar in scale and channel mix to Great Lakes Growers.
• Living Greens Farm: Living Greens Farm operates indoor vertical growing systems producing lettuce, herbs, and microgreens. Comparable as a Midwest/Upper Midwest CEA leafy-greens producer using controlled-environment methods and selling through retail grocery and foodservice channels.

Emerging players

• AeroFarms: AeroFarms is a vertical farming company producing leafy greens and herbs using aeroponic technology. Overlaps with Great Lakes Growers in indoor-grown leafy greens and herbs for retail and foodservice, though AeroFarms operates at larger scale with institutional backing.
• Plenty: Plenty is a well-capitalized indoor vertical farming company producing leafy greens via proprietary vertical farming technology. Comparable in CEA category and leafy-greens product focus, though at larger scale with significantly more institutional funding than Great Lakes Growers.
• Bowery Farming: Bowery operates indoor vertical farms producing packaged salads and herbs for retail and foodservice. Comparable product portfolio (lettuce, herbs, salad mixes) and channel strategy, but operating with significantly larger capital base and broader geographic footprint.
• Square Roots: Square Roots operates indoor vertical farms producing leafy greens and herbs with a technology-forward approach. Comparable in CEA/indoor growing category and leafy-greens product mix, though operating with a smaller footprint and tech-platform partnership model rather than regional greenhouse economics.

Broad incumbents

• NatureSweet: NatureSweet is a large-scale controlled-environment agriculture producer primarily known for greenhouse tomatoes, with broader greenhouse-grown produce offerings. Comparable as a CEA greenhouse operator with national retail distribution, though focused on different primary crops (tomatoes vs. lettuce/herbs).

Regional players

• Holthouse Farms: Holthouse Farms operates greenhouse produce operations in the Midwest and other regions, supplying fresh vegetables to retail. Comparable as a regional greenhouse producer with overlapping produce categories and Midwest U.S. distribution, though with broader vegetable portfolio beyond lettuce and herbs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz76uyRbGG-uJQndbcof9Eg?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/GreatLakesGrowersLettuce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Growers