Terra Tech Corp (TRTC) subsidiary Edible Garden, a locally grown herb and produce cultivator, signed a distribution deal with Sunshine Growers out of Lakeland, Florida. Under the terms of the deal Sunshine will cultivate the full line of Edible Garden produce to be sold throughout the Florida market.
Terra Tech will manage the marketing and sales, while Sunshine will be responsible for the cultivation, packaging, and shipping of the product for retail sale. Sunshine operates approximately 10-acres of greenhouse run by over 45 employees.
"This is a significant step for us within a market that is a major focus" says Derek Peterson, CEO of Terra Tech Corp. "Sunshine produces and ships a significant amount of flowers and we have the confidence they can manage both the cultivation as well as the logistics of the produce. A facility of this size gives us the footprint we need to service larger retailers offering consumers a locally grown product throughout Florida."
Edible Garden selected Sunshine due to their experience, location and passion to produce a top tier product. Sunshine has a long history growing flowers for major retailers throughout Florida as well as a strong logistics infrastructure to manage a high volume of business. Their operations are located in central Florida positioning them to distribute Edible Garden to Tampa, Orlando and South Florida all within a few hours.
"Sunshine has managed to remain competitive in the marketplace over the years due to our willingness to adapt to consumers demand," explains Craig Roth President of Sunshine Growers. "We are excited about our partnership with Edible Garden and see the demand retailers are placing on sourcing quality produce grown by local farmers. We feel uniquely qualified to fulfill that demand based on our sustainable and eco friendly cultivation methods."
Outside of their flagship farm in the Northeast, the company intends on partnering with existing operators throughout the country to expand the Edible Garden brand. The model is designed to minimize dilution and the need for capital while allowing for scalability to expand their footprint as quickly as possible.
"We are excited about this partnership. We have been looking for a flagship facility to service the Florida market and to compliment our existing relationship with Palm Creek," said Ken Vande Vrede COO of Terra Tech. "Sunshine allows us to handle major retailers and gives us the ability to scale quickly."
