Experience in hydro/aeroponic food business?
January 17, 2011 12:43 PM Subscribe
Does anyone have experience with the hydroponic or aeroponic food business? I would love to know your experience with:
-Insights about the industry
-Operating/ start-up costs for a business
-Any other thoughts or feedback about it?
I have a friend very passionate about food justice, especially in urban areas with "food deserts" and would love your thoughts.
Thanks!
I think it depends where you're located. Here in Southern California, the regulations about food for commercial sale or use are endless. A local restaurant had to stop receiving donations of home-grown citrus, etc., due to regulations.
So, your friend would have to register with the state Dept of Food and Agriculture and pass that inspection.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:55 PM on January 17, 2011
So, your friend would have to register with the state Dept of Food and Agriculture and pass that inspection.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:55 PM on January 17, 2011
I belong to a CSA for a farm that does a lot of hydroponic growing. Evidently they do hydroponic consulting too. They are very nice people and I bet would be willing to answer some basic questions even if you're not yet to the point of needing consulting.
posted by apricot at 3:10 PM on January 17, 2011
posted by apricot at 3:10 PM on January 17, 2011
Not much to add as I'm only just beginning to learn about urban faming and the various 'ponics out there. Aquaponics is my specific area of interest, and I'm taking my shot at self-sufficiency before entertaining any thoughts of commercial ventures.
It seems to be consensus among aquaponics devotees that the best opportunities may well lay in consultancy, system design and construction. Food stability is a far easier and more lucrative sell than the nicest-looking lettuce you can grow. What people really crave is the ability to grow that lettuce for themselves, without the headache of having to learn the science and rig up all the hardware.
I envision in 10-15 years, when global food markets really begin to fluctuate and the supermarket chains are only offering ever-more homogenised, tasteless and ethically-unsound produce, high-density home food production will be increasingly common. Setting people up to grow their own is where the real money will be made, not trying to outperform Tesco and Walmart as they continue to turn multibillion-dollar profits despite giving half their food away for free.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 7:09 PM on January 17, 2011
It seems to be consensus among aquaponics devotees that the best opportunities may well lay in consultancy, system design and construction. Food stability is a far easier and more lucrative sell than the nicest-looking lettuce you can grow. What people really crave is the ability to grow that lettuce for themselves, without the headache of having to learn the science and rig up all the hardware.
I envision in 10-15 years, when global food markets really begin to fluctuate and the supermarket chains are only offering ever-more homogenised, tasteless and ethically-unsound produce, high-density home food production will be increasingly common. Setting people up to grow their own is where the real money will be made, not trying to outperform Tesco and Walmart as they continue to turn multibillion-dollar profits despite giving half their food away for free.
posted by Kandarp Von Bontee at 7:09 PM on January 17, 2011
It's not really cost-effective to grow most produce hydroponically. The exceptions are tomatoes, maybe lettuce, and definitely cannabis. The actual money, as KVB mentions, is in selling equipment to folks who are looking to grow their own (ahem) tomatoes.
posted by Nahum Tate at 8:46 PM on January 17, 2011
posted by Nahum Tate at 8:46 PM on January 17, 2011
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posted by Terminal Verbosity at 1:39 PM on January 17, 2011