The Farmery reinvents small farming to better compete in an industrial farm economy by providing an environmentally sustainable growing and food retailing system that encourages the growth and success of small, environmentally sustainable farms.

The Farmery is a four story urban vertical farming and retailing system that allows for small scale, local, organic, community driven agriculture, with the efficiency and profitability of a large industrial farm, without the limitations of climate or availability of agricultural land. The Farmery will reduce constructions costs through pre-manufactured construction methods using low cost shipping containers. Crops grown at the Farmery include specialty mushrooms, greens, herbs, and strawberries. Additional products will be provided by local farmers in the area, who will acheive greater control over their prices by selling them at the Farmery.

The Farmery competes in the "Food Crops Grown Under Cover" (NAICS 111419) and the "Fruit and Vegetable Market" (NAICS 445230) industries. The Farmery has a significant advantage over other growers and markets in these industries because it is able to provide the freshest possible produce in an intimate shopping experience, all while maintaining the production efficiency of a large industrial farm.

The Farmery will be located in urban areas across America where the Farmery will have the opportunity to reestablish relationships between urban consumers and their food by enabling the consumers to see firsthand the story of how their food was produced, thereby educating consumers on the importance of the process used to produce their food.

The initial target market for the Farmery will be food enthusiasts, otherwise known as "foodies". A recent report by Simmons research estimates that 14% of the American population now fits into this growing category of "foodie". The Farmery will also sell to the abundant independent restaurants in metropolitan areas. Because the majority of foodies live in metropolitan areas, each Farmery location will only need a small percentage of the local foodie population to thrive.

The overall objective of the Farmery's marketing strategy will be to reestablish relationships between urban consumers and their food by enabling the consumers to see firsthand the story of how their food was produced. The elements of educating about food and selling the food become intertwined when purchasing at the Farmery.

Ben Greene, the CEO, has a unique background that includes jobs in the hydroponic, landscaping, restaurant, military and industrial design industries. He has spent the past year researching and developing the Farmery as part of his thesis for completion of a Master's of Industrial Design Degree at North Carolina State University.

The Farmery is seeking contributions of $335,000 from investors, the Farmery will have enough capital to fund start-up costs. This portion is illustrated as "Remaining Need" in the chart below.

Financing and Need