Venture Verde and CMC to open CEA facility in Chicago

BLMG subsidiary Venture Verde and Chicago Mushroom Company (CMC) have signed an agreement to open a controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facility in Chicago, US.

CMC is an urban organic gourmet mushroom farm that is engaged in the production of speciality and medicinal mushrooms.

Expected to open next year, the new CEA farming facility will help promote sustainability standards for indoor farming in the agriculture sector. CMC will use the new building to cultivate speciality mushrooms, which will be distributed to wholesalers and customers in the Midwest US region.

Under the agreement, Venture Verde will provide sustainable energy and land management solutions, as well as water reclamation and reuse technologies, which will help CMC cut its transportation costs, streamline its supply chains, improve its operational efficiencies and help reduce its carbon footprint.

BLMG president and COO Mike Harshfield said: “Venture Verde’s proprietary technologies and land management services will help farmers and entrepreneurs like CMC cultivate crops indoors in a cost-effective and sustainable way, no matter where they are located.”

As part of the partnership, CMC aims to expand the production of its medicinal mushrooms. At present, the majority of medicinal mushrooms are being imported into the US from countries such as Thailand and China.

CMC co-owner Christina Leung said: “Our company believes each of us live and breathe the ethos that everyone should be able to access nutritious, delicious, and sustainable food.

“We are revolutionising sustainability, supply chains, and operational efficiency, in order to provide the best possible mushrooms for everyone to enjoy and eat healthier.”