Growcer

This interview details Growcer, an indoor farming company based in Canada. The interview is with Alida Burke, CFO and Co-Founder of Growcer.

‍

‍

What is the origin story of The Growcer?

‍

My co-founder Corey Ellis and I were both a part of a student club at the University of Ottawa focused on social entrepreneurship, Enactus uOttawa. I had always been interested in how to do business in a way that’s socially responsible and hits the triple bottom line – people, planet, profit.

‍

‍

We traveled to Iqaluit and experienced the common sticker shock of northern food prices when we visited a local grocery store. The idea to grow food indoors was one of the ideas that arose during the discussions and became the catalyst for Growcer today. We had hoped to partner with a company already doing this, but there weren’t any, so we built the company we wish existed 8 years ago.

‍

‍

What we call a “farm” is essentially a custom-built insulated structure that uses hydroponics to grow a variety of leafy vegetables like lettuces, kale, spinach, and herbs like basil and mint. Our growing technology was first deployed in food insecure, remote communities, and is now used by businesses, retailers, schools, and anyone else who sees the value and opportunities in growing hyper-local produce.

‍

We’ve deployed more than 70 farms and it’s been rewarding to see all the different ways growers make a Growcer farm their own. For example, we’ve collaborated with customers to iterate the Growcer farm into a higher yielding, user-friendly modular farm and with another customer, we launched the first wheelchair accessible modular farm in Canada. We’ve seen customers combine modular farms into Farmplexes (a few farms and a farm hub) to launch larger economic development projects and we’ve seen other customers remove growing racks and focus on turning their farms into a classroom for vertical farming.

‍

The Growcer network motivates us to keep doing what we do. To see the impact individuals have on their communities by growing food – and to be a small part of it – is incredibly rewarding.

‍

‍

What are some of the biggest challenges facing The Growcer in the future?

‍

Our challenges are no different from other challenges facing the vertical farming industry:

• a high capital investment to enter the industry,
• ongoing education and training to build knowledge and awareness of this emerging industry,
• and a need to continue investing in research and development to continue to offer the customers of Growcer growers ongoing value (more crop varieties, higher efficiency).

However, we also see the need for controlled environment agriculture not going anywhere anytime soon. In Canada, supply chain disruptions, shortages, and the fluctuating cost of imported produce, tell us that vertical farming is an important part of a resilient food system.

‍

We want to keep it a part of our food system so we’re motivated to take on these challenges and improve the accessibility and efficiency of vertical farming.

‍

‍

What is unique about The Growcer compared to competitors?

‍

We’d like to say it’s our farms - we’ve worked with our in-house R&D team over the years to perfect our modular farms so they’re accessible and efficient to anyone regardless of your growing background. However, we know we stand out because of everything else we offer a grower with service, training, and financing.

‍

Over the years it's become clear that capital is a common barrier standing in the way of our mission of making hyper-local food available across Canada. We meet so many passionate people who are ready to grow locally year-round but lack the capital to turn their dreams into reality. We launched Growcer Finance this month to address this head on.

‍

‍

Growcer Finance is a program that matches aspiring growers with financing options and offers social investment opportunities for accredited individuals and institutions. At the moment, we’re currently reviewing applications for the first intake.

‍

Our network of growers also tell us we stand out for our support. Most of the growers we work with don’t come from farming backgrounds and we’ve seen an increasing need to offer training and support alongside the Growcer farms. Capacity building in vertical farming in general is important because this is still a fairly new industry.

‍

In response, we created Rootcamp and all our training materials to help bridge this gap so more people can grow food locally. Rootcamp is an in-person bootcamp that gives attendees a foundation for hydroponic farming and demystifies what it’s like to grow in a Growcer farm. We launched the idea in 2023 and have since hosted six Rootcamps at 97% capacity and hope to continue the momentum in the new year!

‍

‍

How many farms have you deployed so far?

‍

We’ve deployed more than 70 farms coast to coast to coast, with approximately 20 in the manufacturing queue.

‍

Energy is a big topic in indoor farming right now. How much do you pay for electricity (kWh)? Is it mainly from the grid or renewables?

‍

It depends on the grower and can vary depending on their location (for example, Ottawa’s electricity rate is $0.12) and how they power the farm. Most growers choose to power from the grid and a Growcer farm averages ~6,500 kWh per month. Further up north, heating options include heating oil/propane too.

‍

‍

How can people connect with you or learn more about The Growcer?

‍

You can connect with Growcer online at www.growcer.ca (or our social media which you can find through our website!)

‍

‍

‍