The new 20-acre greenhouse is the first phase of Little Leaf Farms' Tennessee campus. The Manchester site provides room for future expansion to as much as 80 acres and strengthens the company's ability to supply fresh, locally grown leafy greens to markets across the United States.

Aerial view of Little Leaf Farms' new 20-acre greenhouse in Manchester, Tennessee, which will expand the company's capacity to supply fresh leafy greens nationwide.

From first steel to first seed in just nine months

The accelerated commissioning also reflects the strength of Little Leaf Farms' long-standing collaboration with its Dutch technology partners. VB Greenhouses, part of Atrium Agri and Little Leaf Farms' greenhouse technology partner since the company's first facility, is responsible for the construction of the greenhouse and the installation of the advanced heating and cooling systems. PB Tec, also part of Atrium Agri, is responsible for the Oreon LED lighting, water systems and electrical installations.

The project has been realized on an exceptionally fast-track schedule. The first greenhouse steel was erected in early November 2025 and, only around nine months later, the first seeds are already being planted. The rapid transition from construction to commissioning of a highly sophisticated 20-acre controlled-environment growing facility demonstrates the value of close cooperation between Little Leaf Farms, VB Greenhouses, PB tec and the other project partners.

The Tennessee project builds on a partnership developed over more than a decade and across Little Leaf Farms' greenhouse locations. By combining Little Leaf Farms' growing expertise with the proven Dutch greenhouse, climate, lighting, water and electrical technology brought together within Atrium Agri, the project team has moved from first steel to first seeding at remarkable speed while maintaining the technical standards required for year-round, large-scale leafy green production.

Consumers are paying more attention

"Consumers are paying more attention than ever before to where and how their lettuce is grown, and we're seeing that translate into increased demand for Little Leaf Farms products," said Paul Sellew, Founder and CEO of Little Leaf Farms. "At the same time, retailers are prioritizing a safe, clean, consistent, high-quality supply of leafy greens they can count on year-round. We accelerated our timeline in Tennessee because the market is telling us very clearly that it wants more of what we grow."

Little Leaf Farms grows in state-of-the-art greenhouses designed to deliver consistent quality and freshness 365 days per year. This controlled environment enables Little Leaf to grow with no pesticides and ensures that every drop of water entering the greenhouse is fully purified to eliminate any potential pathogens. Little Leaf Farms' automated growing system allows its greens to be seeded, grown, harvested, and packaged without ever being touched by human hands, which in combination with water management, is a key component of the company's "Clean From the Start" growing approach.

Scaling to meet growing demand

Little Leaf Farms' Tennessee expansion comes as the company continues to gain share in the broader packaged salad category. Now the fourth-largest packaged salad brand in the U.S., Little Leaf Farms continues to see strong growth, even as the indoor-grown produce industry undergoes a period of transition. The company is accelerating investments in additional capacity and is in active discussions for several new campus locations as it works quickly toward establishing a full national footprint.

"We've always believed there was an opportunity to fundamentally change what consumers should expect from their leafy greens," Sellew continued. "Today, we're competing at scale in the broader packaged salad category, and we're still just getting started. Our growth and the demand we continue to see gives us tremendous confidence in our approach and the opportunity ahead, and Tennessee is an important next step toward bringing Little Leaf Farms to more households across the country."

The Manchester campus builds on Little Leaf Farms' growing national footprint, which includes greenhouse campuses in Devens, Massachusetts and McAdoo, Pennsylvania. The company will celebrate the official opening of its eighth greenhouse in the coming months.