KENNEWICK — Local Bounti Corp., the Montana ag startup, has begun building the frame for a large greenhouse where it will cultivate lettuce and other greens on Pasco’s industrial east side.
The company based in Hamilton, Mont., chose Pasco for one of its first greenhouse operations in 2021. Together with news that Amazon and Darigold would develop major facilities in Pasco, it was one of the biggest economic development stories of the year.
It even began working to prepare the site, but fell behind its peers when it “paused” the project to pursue an acquisition of Hollandia Produce Group Inc., aka “Pete’s,” a California-based indoor agriculture firm that came with its own set of operating greenhouses.
It returned to Pasco in 2022, dispatching graders to prepare the site, and contractors to install utilities.
The company is serving as its own contractor on the greenhouse. The project is expected to wrap in early 2024.
Despite the late start, it could begin operating at the same time as its peers.
Amazon has not said when it will open its warehouses near Sacajawea Historical State Park — and is not yet hiring.
Darigold’s plant is in early stages of construction, with a target completion date of early 2024.
Local Bounti will grow lettuce and other greens in Pasco, using proprietary indoor growing systems that maximize production while minimizing water and power use.
No cannabis
Local Bounti, which launched in 2018 and went public through a merger that valued the organization at $1.1 billion, operates in Pasco as Growth Bounti.
The company does not cultivate cannabis.
But it is expanding its product lines beyond live and packaged leafy greens. In May, it announced it would add salad kits to its product line. It will start growing fresh berries in 2024.
The Pasco project is at 950 S. Elm, near the intersection of Oregon Avenue and East “A” Street.
It will develop in two phases. Phase 1, now in construction, is a 242,115-square-foot greenhouse, or roughly three acres under glass.
The second will add a 162,750-square-foot greenhouse on the east side of the property, closes to the future extension of South Elm Avenue.
Sporty neighbors
The project site is roughly across Elm from the city of Pasco’s A Street Sports Complex. The complex is also under construction. It will open with six soccer fields and a parking lot.
The city paved a block-long stretch of Elm on Tuesday. Local Bounti will extend the road to its site, which is north and west of the future soccer fields..
By 2024, Local Bounti will have growing facilities in Montana, California, Texas, Washington and Georgia.
Its products are sold at 10,000 groceries and other outlets. In the Tri-Cities, its products are sold at Yoke’s Fresh Markets.
The company told investors it expects annual revenue of $34 million to $40 million in 2023, based on production from its existing plants in Montana, California and Georgia.
The company recently announced it raised $145 million of new financing through a credit agreement with Cargill Financial Services Int. and through a sale-leaseback deal with a real estate investment trust involving its plants in Carpinteria and Oxnard, Calif.
