Expanding the Business
Mucci Farms is a second-generation fruit and vegetable grower headquartered in Kingsville , Ontario , Canada , with more than 60 years of growing experience . Cox ’ s strategic investment will help Mucci Farms continue to expand its business — from 300,000 tons of fruits and vegetables per year to 500,000 tons over the next five years .
The addition of Mucci complements Cox ’ s existing controlled-environment agriculture portfolio . In 2021 , Cox acquired BrightFarms , an indoor farming company and provider of locally grown packaged salads . BrightFarms had already developed a network of advanced local indoor farms in the nation ; as part of the Cox team , it can now scale more rapidly and transform the salad industry for American consumers .
Growing Locally
“ As the planet ’ s population grows , we need to ensure all people have sustainable , healthy food to eat ,” said Steve Bradley , vice president of Cox Cleantech . “ With controlled indoor agriculture we can grow food in more places more efficiently , and offer it closer to where it ’ s being consumed .”
Investing in Sustainability
Mucci Farms and BrightFarms represent two of the many cleantech businesses in which Cox has a stake . In fact , Cox Cleantech is working to stand up an entirely new line of business to address the world ’ s toughest sustainability challenges in a profitable way . Since 2007 , Cox Enterprises has invested more than $ 1 billion in sustainable businesses and technologies , and the Cox Cleantech team is continuing to look for growing businesses that are pioneering new , sustainable technologies .
Cox Cleantech focuses on four areas : sustainable food and agriculture , clean energy , waste conversion and cleantech operating systems . These represent Cox ’ s holistic approach to developing the businesses needed to build a healthier and more sustainable future .
“ The world is changing , the climate is changing , and you have to build more resilient and adaptable businesses to fit our future ,” said Steve .
“ By transforming the way we grow and distribute our food , we can make a tremendous impact on our business , our community and our planet .”
Alex Taylor , chairman and CEO
Unlike farmland , advanced greenhouses do not have to cope with changing weather patterns , making crops less susceptible to drought or too much rain . The process is resource-efficient and eliminates the need for pesticides . Plus , by growing the food near population centers , indoor controlled agriculture reduces the financial and environmental costs required to transport food from farm to table over long distances .
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