Having been a fixture of the Pullman neighborhood for over a decade, Gotham Greens’ Chicago campus is not just a testament to the indoor grower’s commitment to serving local communities — it’s also an example of what success looks like in the often-challenging controlled environment agriculture (CEA) market.

Gotham Greens is celebrating 15 years of operations in 2026, having opened its first greenhouse in New York City in 2011. The indoor grower’s success came from a bit of luck as well as tapping into local and national food issues, Jenn Frymark, chief greenhouse officer at Gotham Greens, told AgNavigator during a visit to the Chicago campus.

“We were in the right place at the right time to take advantage of interest in local food [and] sustainability issues that field growers were having — droughts, the supply chain issues, and food safety issues in the field. And so, all these things came together [at] the perfect time that we were all in New York City, starting this company,” Frymark elaborated.

She added, “I don’t know that I ever thought we would get this far — where we have 40 acres across 13 facilities in nine states — but it’s just so wonderful to be here now.”

The CEA sweet spot: High-tech greenhouses

Gotham Greens is celebrating 15 years in the market amid a challenging moment for CEA. For instance, leafy green grower AeroFarms received a financial lifeline in June 2026 through an acquisition by Palm Ventures, after investors reportedly backed away from the company and following its emergence from bankruptcy in 2023.

Despite market headwinds, Gotham Greens found the CEA “sweet spot” in the high-tech greenhouse, allowing the grower to use technology to gain unit economic benefits, Frymark explained. Gotham Greens grows its vegetables nutrient film technology placed in gutters, which can be easily moved around and automated, all under climate controls of the greenhouse, she added.

“Even within CEA, there’s a broad spectrum of technologies, but I think this high-tech greenhouse is such a sweet spot where you can get all the advantages, and you can still bring it in at a capital cost and an operational cost that the business is viable,” she elaborated.

Looking forward, the indoor grower is exploring ways to gain further efficiencies, whether that’s through boosting automation or improving cultivar selection, Frymark explained. Additionally, the indoor grower is exploring additional market opportunities as consumers demand more pesticide-free leafy greens and healthier foods, she added.

“There is so much demand and growing demand for fresh salads, leafy greens. People are so health-conscious. I think the focus on eating more plants and more unprocessed foods is really great for the segment that we’re in — and how do we also just show up in more places in the store? We’ve done a lot with salad dressings and pestos and dips, and we really want to keep growing into those other value-added segments,” Frymark elaborated.