City Roots Farm

What City Roots Farm does

City Roots Farm is a family-owned organic microgreens producer founded in 2009 in Columbia, South Carolina, operating one of the largest microgreens operations in the Southeast. The farm grows 11 varieties of organic microgreens (including Sweet Mix, Cilantro, Spicy Mix, Mustard, Radish, Sunflower, Kale, Broccoli, Arugula, Rainbow, and Snow Pea) inside 14 climate-controlled greenhouses totaling more than 40,000 square feet, with a 7-10 day growth cycle and 14-day shelf life enabling year-round wholesale supply.

The company's production is USDA Organic certified (via Clemson University Department of Plant Industry) and USDA Harmonized GAP Plus food safety certified, and is packaged in biodegradable clamshells in three sizes (1.75 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz). City Roots is expanding onto a newly acquired 90-acre organic farm featuring a 73,000 sq. ft. greenhouse, 2 acres of solar panels, geothermal heating, and a distribution facility, with construction targeted for completion in Fall 2023 and the goal of carbon-neutral operations.

The business model is B2B wholesale. Products are sold through direct relationships with grocery retailers (Sprouts, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods Market, Earth Fare, Lowes Foods), wholesale distributors (Sysco, US Foods, FreshPoint, Limehouse Produce, Senn Brothers Produce), and restaurants, with a small company fleet delivering along the East Coast from Maryland to Georgia. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective buyers are directed to contact the farm directly. The company is co-owned by Eric McClam and Robbie McClam and, until 2026, had been bootstrapped with no disclosed external institutional investment.

Name

City Roots Farm

Legal name

City Roots Farm

Website

https://cityrootsfarm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

City Roots Farm is a family-owned organic microgreens producer in Columbia, SC, operating 14 climate-controlled greenhouses to grow 11 USDA-certified organic microgreen varieties year-round for wholesale grocery, distributor, and restaurant customers across the East Coast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Microgreens Production

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Sprouts & Microgreens Farming (Alfalfa Sprouts, Microgreens, Wheatgrass) (AFAGADAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Greenhouse Herb & Microgreens Production (Culinary Herbs, Microgreens) (AFAGAHAC), Organic Greenhouse & Protected Crop Farming (High Tunnels, Greenhouses) (AFAGAKAD), Fresh Herbs & Microgreens Wholesale (AFAIACAC)

Keywords

• Organic microgreens production
• Greenhouse-grown microgreens
• Wholesale organic produce
• Controlled environment agriculture
• Specialty crop farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Microgreens Sales: City Roots Farm generates revenue through the wholesale sale of organic microgreens to grocery retailers, restaurants, and food distributors. Products are sold in three packaging sizes (1.75 oz pint, 4 oz quart, 8 oz half-gallon) in biodegradable clamshells. The farm serves the East Coast with predictable, year-round greenhouse production enabling consistent supply commitments to wholesale buyers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

City Roots Farm is an organic farm that produces greenhouse-grown organic microgreens in 11 varieties (Sweet Mix, Cilantro, Spicy Mix, Mustard, Radish, Sunflower, Kale, Broccoli, Arugula, Rainbow, Snow Pea) year-round using USDA Organic Farming Practices without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. The farm operates 14 climate-controlled greenhouses totaling 40,000+ sq. ft. and sells wholesale quantities in biodegradable clamshells (1.75 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz) to grocery retailers, restaurants, and wholesale distributors across the East Coast from Maryland to Georgia.

Product overview

City Roots Farm is a single-product company centered on organic microgreens, its core offering. The company produces greenhouse-grown organic microgreens year-round using USDA Organic Farming Practices, available in 11 distinct varieties (Sweet Mix, Cilantro, Spicy Mix, Mustard, Radish, Sunflower, Kale, Broccoli, Arugula, Rainbow, and Snow Pea) sold primarily through wholesale channels to retailers and distributors on the East Coast. The products are packaged in eco-friendly biodegradable clamshells in three sizes (1.75 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz). The farm operates over 40,000 square feet across 14 greenhouses and is expanding onto a newly acquired 90-acre organic farm with a 73,000 sq. ft. greenhouse and sustainable infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organic Microgreens

Quantifiable outcome

• 14-day shelf life from harvest
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Limehouse ProducecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLimehouse Produce is a wholesale distributor for City Roots Organic Farm microgreens, distributing the farm's products to foodservice operators and retailers within their distribution network.
• Senn Brothers ProducecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSenn Brothers Produce is a wholesale distributor for City Roots Organic Farm microgreens, distributing the farm's products across the Southeast region.
• FreshPointcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFreshPoint is a wholesale distributor for City Roots Organic Farm microgreens, distributing the farm's products across the East Coast.
• US FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS Foods is a major wholesale food distributor for City Roots Organic Farm microgreens, distributing across the East Coast and Southeast markets.
• SyscocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSysco is a major wholesale food distributor for City Roots Organic Farm microgreens, distributing across the East Coast and Southeast markets.
• SproutscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSprouts Farmers Market is a grocery retailer selling City Roots Organic Farm microgreens in its stores as part of its fresh produce offerings.
• Harris TeetercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHarris Teeter is a grocery retailer selling City Roots Organic Farm microgreens in its stores across the East Coast.
• Whole Foods MarketcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWhole Foods Market is a grocery retailer selling City Roots Organic Farm microgreens in its stores, aligning with its organic and natural product positioning.
• Earth FarecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEarth Fare is a grocery retailer selling City Roots Organic Farm microgreens in its stores as part of its healthy food offerings.
• Lowes FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLowes Foods is a grocery retailer selling City Roots Organic Farm microgreens in its stores across the Southeast.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gotham Greens: Gotham Greens operates urban, climate-controlled greenhouses producing leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens for grocery and foodservice customers nationwide. Closest large-scale analog to City Roots' controlled-environment microgreens model, including similar B2B distribution to retailers and the same USDA Organic / sustainability positioning.
• Revol Greens: Revol Greens operates large-scale climate-controlled greenhouses producing lettuce, greens, and microgreens for grocery retailers across the U.S. Closely comparable scale of greenhouse production and Big-Box / regional grocery distribution model.
• AeroFarms: AeroFarms runs indoor vertical farms growing microgreens and baby leafy greens sold to retailers and foodservice. Direct product overlap in microgreens and shared strategic emphasis on year-round, pesticide-free, technology-enabled production for retail customers.
• Fresh Origins: Fresh Origins is one of the largest specialty microgreen and edible-flower growers in North America, producing similar SKUs (microgreens, shoots, petite greens) for grocery retail and foodservice. Direct product overlap and similar wholesale B2B model targeted at chefs and retailers.
• Living Greens Farm: Living Greens Farm operates indoor vertical farming facilities producing microgreens, salad greens, and herbs for retail and foodservice. Closely comparable controlled-environment microgreens product focus with similar sustainability claims and B2B distribution.
• Koppert Cress: Koppert Cress (North America) specializes in microgreens, edible flowers, and specialty herbs for chefs and upscale grocery retailers. Overlaps directly with City Roots' specialty microgreens SKU set and foodservice/wholesale distribution model, though primarily a Holland-headquartered supplier.

Emerging players

• Bowery Farming: Bowery operates indoor vertical farms producing leafy greens and herbs (with a growing microgreens line) for retailers including Whole Foods. Overlaps in controlled-environment microgreens production and direct-to-retailer distribution, though Bowery is broader-categorized.
• 80 Acres Farms: 80 Acres Farms operates indoor vertical farms producing leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens with sustainability/ESG positioning similar to City Roots. Overlapping controlled-environment technology and retail distribution channel approach.
• Plenty: Plenty is an indoor vertical-farming company producing leafy greens and herbs for retail. Overlap is on the controlled-environment production technology and direct grocery retail go-to-market, though Plenty focuses more on greens than microgreens specifically.

Broad incumbents

• BrightFarms: BrightFarms operates a network of large-scale greenhouses producing packaged salads and leafy greens for grocery retailers nationwide. Comparable greenhouse CEA model and direct-retailer distribution model, though product set is broader (salads/leafy greens vs. microgreens).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-roots-organic-farm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 City Roots Farm