Walmart Canada Partnering With Lufa Farms On Food Mfg. Project

Walmart Canada and Lufa Farms launch local produce collaboration in Montreal (CNW Group/Wal-Mart Canada Corp.)

MONTREAL — Walmart Canada and Lufa Farms announce that they are now selling hyperlocal produce from Lufa Farms’ hydroponic greenhouse atop the Marché Central Walmart Supercentre in the store below.

This reportedly marks the first time produce from Montreal’s Lufa Farms will be sold through a retailer and the first time Walmart Canada will sell produce from a store’s rooftop greenhouse. Harvested on demand each morning, the rotating crops of tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers will be available for sale in-store in as fast as an hour after being picked, according to Walmart Canada.

“Rooftops are one of the most underused spaces in cities – and yet they’re perfect for growing food,” said Mohamed Hage, founder and CEO of Lufa Farms. “Walmart has a huge network of rooftops across the country, and by transforming just one of them into a greenhouse, we’re showing what’s possible: fresh, local vegetables grown sustainably and sold just downstairs, the same day they’re harvested. This is how we can reimagine the future of food in cities.”

“We are invested in Quebec and are proud to employ more than 14,000 associates across this province. Last year alone, Walmart purchased more than $3.8 billion worth of products from more than 460 Quebec suppliers, and we’re excited to add Lufa Farms to this list,” says Cyrille Ballereau, vice president, operations, Walmart Canada.

According to Lufa Farms, their rooftop greenhouse uses half the energy of a conventional ground-level greenhouse, recycles up to 90 per cent of its water, and relies on energy-efficient LED lighting.