Amazon partner Hippo Harvest debuts first line of leafy greens

Hippo Harvest, a greenhouse funded by Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, has released its first line of leafy greens. The release of the greens comes less than two years after Amazon's initial investment. 

Hippo Harvest uses a closed-loop, direct-to-root fertilizer system and machine learning to calculate the efficient amount of water, fertilizer, and light needed to produce high-yield crops, which are grown in repurposed greenhouses. Instead of conventional pesticides, the company uses beneficial insects, peppermint oil, and other natural pest controls. The farm is located in Pescadero, California, located about 45 minutes south of San Francisco. 

“Climate change is already impacting how we eat. As water continues to disappear from our agricultural communities, we need solutions that give farmers the ability to make the best use of our natural resources and ensure everyone has access to fresh produce,” said Amazon Vice President of Worldwide Sustainability Kara Hurst. “Amazon’s collaboration with Hippo Harvest is another step forward in our work to support transformative green technologies while also providing our customers with a broader array of grocery options.”

“We’re excited to continue collaborating with Amazon as we work to pioneer growing methods that address some of the biggest challenges facing our food supply and the agriculture sector,” said Hippo Harvest CEO Eitan Marder-Eppstein. “We’re also proud to support the local Pescadero-area community by serving as a low-water grower, refurbishing a local community greenhouse to house our operations, and hiring local residents to help us expand our business.”