Sustainability, reliability, and local production are key motivators for recent investments in the greenhouse-grown leafy greens production in Canada. Efficient and automated operations are launching in several locations and are bound to reshape the Canadian lettuce industry.
JUPITER, Fla., May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The CEA production in Canada has been on a steady rise over the last decades, having turned parts of Ontario into a "CEA powerhouse" within North America, easily outpacing US production not just per capita but even in absolute terms. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers have long represented the bulk of Greenhouse-grown produce, with berries added to the mix in recent years*. The CEA production of leafy greens, on the other hand, has been lagging in Canada, with most large-scale lettuce greenhouse investments in recent years having been made in the USA. Now, this segment is finally bustling with activity in Canada as well. With several new operations being announced and/or starting up, the greenhouse-grown leafy greens segment should grow significantly over the next few years.
Green Automation Group is thrilled to support this interest and development with our automated growing systems, both for head lettuce, herbs, and cut baby/teen leaf production. There are now multiple Green Automation systems in operation in Canada. The installation at Haven Greens, King City, Ontario - just 30 minutes outside of Toronto was recently completed. Haven Greens celebrated their first harvest in March and are now ramping up production.
The growing system at Haven Greens is designed for fully automated baby/teen leaf cut lettuce production. It features patented open double-row gutters, automated gutter logistics with RFID tracking, as well as automated harvesting, a unique lettuce mixing technique, and the latest weight and yield management system. The high level of automation means that the greenhouse can be operated by a smaller team and that no human will touch the lettuce throughout the entire growing cycle. Each gutter is tracked on its journey through the greenhouse. The Green Automation system gathers, analyzes, and presents the grower with valuable production information such as yield data, harvest data by variety or growing line, and the position of every gutter.
Sustainable and local food production is a core value for Haven Greens, and this 2-hectare facility has been equipped with cutting-edge equipment for both operational and energy efficiency. "With our fully automated and climate-controlled greenhouse, we can reliably deliver high-quality lettuce all year round. The automated growing system maximizes operational efficiency throughout the growing cycle. There are no manual processing steps, and no people ever touch the lettuce. Not only is the lettuce grown under perfect conditions and without the use of any pesticides or herbicides, but it is also grown right here, 30 minutes outside Toronto, and is guaranteed to be fresh when delivered to food service providers and retailers," says Jay Willmot, Founder, and CEO of Haven Greens. "In the past, Canada has relied on importing lettuce. In fact, 97% of the lettuce Canadians eat comes from either the USA or Mexico. That is not a sustainable or long-term strategy. We believe that Canadian consumers are ready and eager to buy locally produced Canadian lettuce. Now more than ever," continues Willmot.
Haven Greens will offer three product varieties: Baby Green Leaf, Baby Red + Green Leaf, and Baby Spring Mix. The leafy greens launched in local grocery stores across the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and at independent grocery stores throughout Ontario, with rollout among national retailers following next. Check the Haven Greens website for the latest store announcements.
Smooth Installation and Ramp-up Process
The installation of the growing system was done under the Green Automation team's supervision with the help of local labor and took about 4 months. "First seeding and harvest in March went very smoothly thanks to both a knowledgeable Haven Greens team as well as the support from the Green Automation team on-site. We are here to teach, support, and troubleshoot if needed, but we encourage our clients to start operating on their own as soon as possible. Haven Greens is off to a great start. The quality and the yield of the leafy greens produced at Haven Greens during the initial ramp-up are exceptional and absolutely something to celebrate," says Patrik Borenius, CEO of Green Automation Americas.
Green Automation will continue supporting Haven Greens during and after the ramp-up. "We are proud of our After Sales Support Services. Our clients can always reach us through our Customer Portal for remote technical support. Once the site is up and running, we recommend at least one annual Green Automation maintenance visit on-site to ensure that the system is operating smoothly and continues to perform with the highest efficiency," explains Borenius.
Sustainability and Expansion Plans
Sustainability is one of Haven Greens' guiding principles. Mr. Willmot has advanced plans to further increase the sustainability of Haven Green's operations. First up is the addition of a solar array that could power the entire 2-hectare operation. In addition, the team plans to integrate a localized microgrid system, incorporating combined heat and power, with the potential for battery storage in the future. To further increase overall energy efficiency and reduce energy costs, Haven Greens will be capturing the waste streams coming off the turbine. "At the moment, the team is focusing on ramping up the operations," says Jay Willmot. "However, integrating sustainable methods as well as yield-increasing innovations will always be a top priority," explains Willmot.
Green Automation fully supports Haven Greens' sustainability goals. "Sustainable growing is a lot about efficient use of your resources, such as water, power, and heat, but this is also a function of efficient use of your space. In other words, the effectiveness of the growing system is a deciding factor for a sustainable operation," says Borenius. You need to maximize the yield per area, as well as your yield per kWh put into the operation. Growers operating the Green Automation growing system can achieve yields of 20 lbs per sq ft (100 kg/m2) or higher, depending on the variety, product mix, and plant size. Combining an efficient growing system with applied environmental responsibility, resulting in generated renewable energy, genuine energy input reduction, and maximized yields, as Haven Greens is doing, is setting new standards for the CEA production of leafy greens.
Haven Greens is a great example of what is possible for local food production in Canada. "We have not reached full capacity yet, but interest is strong, and we are eager to help reduce Canada's dependency on imported leafy greens," says Willmot. The 2-hectare Haven Greens greenhouse is the first of two phases. There are plans for an expansion of another 2 hectares. "We are ready to grow, but one step at a time," says Willmot.
*Statistics Canada: Table 32-10-0456-01 Production and value of greenhouse fruits and vegetables
Media Contact
Helena Borenius, Green Automation Americas, LLC, 1 8334457171, [email protected], www.greenautomation.com
SOURCE Green Automation Americas, LLC
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