What does AeroFarms re-emergence from Chapter 11 and AppHarvest’s liquidation say about the way forward for vertical farming?

Indoor farming captured the hearts of enterprise capital companies early in its growth, because of its promise of improved sustainability, shorter provide chains, more energizing produce out there yr round and, in fact, patentable know-how. However, the business stumbled as working prices remained excessive, questions on their vitality use undercut their sustainability claims and excessive costs deterred client engagement.

When business pioneer AeroFarms filed for voluntary Chapter 11 reduction in June adopted rapidly in July by AppHarvest a ripple of concern for the class became a tsunami,  regardless of the AeroFarms’ claims on the time that it will restructure and recapitalize “with restricted disruptions to its ongoing core enterprise operations.”

However now, three months later, the corporate is exiting from Chapter 11 after what it says was a “profitable completion of its restructuring course of.”

Mixed with indoor leafy inexperienced grower BrightFarm’s announcement this morning that it’s getting into an unique licensing cope with indoor spinach grower Ingredient Farms to higher meet client calls for, the 2 corporations’ information might as soon as once more shift public and investor opinions in regards to the phase.

However a decide’s greenlight final week for AppHarvest to maneuver ahead with liquidation weighs heavy.

[Editor’s note: Want to learn more about the vertical farming industry’s moment of truth? Join FoodNavigator-USA this November or our digital Futureproofing the Food System Summit, in which deputy editor Deniz Ataman sits down with Oishii to discuss opportunities and challenges in the segment as part of a larger conversation around food tech, food as medicine and the circular economy. Check out the agenda​ and register.]​