Interview with Nona Yehia, CEO and Co-founder, Vertical Harvest

Lying in the shadow of the Teton mountains is the community of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. This small ski town had big challenges when it came to delivering fresh, locally sourced produce for their community. Architecture can often solve unique challenges, and this time the unique solution was Vertical Farming. Vertical Harvest was started with the hope to deliver sustainable, fresh, and locally sourced produce to the Jackson Hole community with a substantially reduced environmental impact and cost. The spirit of Vertical Harvest was built out of its roots, and these roots have a bright future for both Jackson Hole and future communities

What was your background before starting Vertical Harvest?

I’m an architect by trade and have always been interested in how my profession can influence and touch every aspect of our society and community. I have focused my career on issues that connect architecture to people. I grew up in Michigan, just outside of Detroit, with a brother who has disabilities. People were always limiting his opportunities by what they (mistakenly) believed he was capable of, instead of what he’s actually capable of. This has become a cornerstone philosophy in my life, and my focus at Vertical Harvest is on ability before the disability. My mother and grandfather were both formidable entrepreneurs, so that’s also been a driving force in my mind. I went to grad school at Columbia University in NYC before I took a 20-year detour to Jackson Hole. Something that often happens to people who find their way here. But I believe strongly in how my unique path has only strengthened my roots in this unique community, and the work we are able to do together

What was your key driving force to start Vertical Harvest? What was the idea behind the company?

I’ve always believed in how architecture can be a powerful force for change within a community. Ideally, local food production should be considered essential in any community's civic infrastructure. Ask yourself what’s more essential than access to nutritious food? We had a perfect storm of challenges here in Jackson Hole. There’s a huge demand for local fresh produce, and Wyoming only has a 3-4 month growing season. And with such a short growing season, labor is tough to come by. These problems were only compounded by the fact that Jackson Hole has a seasonal economy and a high cost of living. The land is scarce in downtown Jackson Hole, and there was only a small sliver of underutilized land on the side of a parking garage. No one knew what to do with this land, so the city put out an open request for proposals and our vision brought a beautiful and elegant solution to all of the above challenges and ended up winning the day.

Could you please describe your method of vertical farming?

We are what’s called, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), or Vertical Hydroponic farmers. In fact, our Jackson Hole facility was the first vertical greenhouse in North America.

What consumer trends are you seeing in the US that sync well with new farming solutions?

Consumers prioritize freshness, taste, and nutritional value. For much of the year, especially in the northern half of the country, produce is trucked in from CA or AZ. This usually means that the food is already a week into its shelf life before it’s even available for purchase. And for consumers, that means their produce is viable for much less time in their fridge. Between pandemic scarcity, environmental concerns, and the rising cost of inflation, I think consumers really hate having to throw out food they didn’t even have a chance to prepare. Our CEA produce gives the consumer much more longevity and viability in their purchases. I have kept microgreens in my fridge for well over two weeks. Flexibility, taste, and nutrition are built into the way we grow, and that convenience supports the consumer’s lifestyle.

Are there any key trends or movements within sustainability that are more important for Vertical Harvest?

There are three main areas of sustainability we focus on - energy, land, and water utilization.

Renewable Energy Prioritization

We work hard to source clean energy. We have detailed energy plans for our new farms that prioritize renewables. The new farm that we just broke ground on in Maine will be all-electric. This facility’s HVAC will be free from natural gas, and will also feature roof-top solar and the latest energy-efficient LED lighting. Additionally, each farm going forward will be designed to keep pace with the latest technology, and an aggressive clean energy plan.

Water Conservation

With the technology we use today, we can limit the harmful chemicals and excess fertilizer polluting the water system, all while reducing our water consumption by 90%. This is incredibly important as we watch both our communities and agricultural systems come under incredible stress with limited water resources. This is especially true out West, due to historic drought conditions. There’s no reason to suspect this will change anytime soon. CEA offers a durable, smart, and alternative method to grow some of the most perishable and water-intensive crops.

Land Preservation

By growing “up” we are able to exponentially increase yields per acre, which preserves arable land and precious topsoil. We are also more resilient to face growing weather extremes (drought, heat domes, severe storms, etc) and the effects those things have on outdoor fields/crops. Our method also promotes the rehabilitation of land by offering communities native plant starts. A method to cultivate local native plants in the greenhouse before sourcing them back to locally wild land in need of TLC.

What are your key milestones achieved so far?

So many! We closed our first round of funding this year; and broke ground on our state-of-the-art farm in Maine. We’ve also reached 50/50 parity on our integrated team, to feature people both with and without disabilities. We also have been named, for two years running, Fast Company’s World Changing Idea in multiple categories. The word is getting out with amazing stories on the Today Show, Inc. Magazine, and most recently with our story on CBS Sunday Morning. The more we can synthesize our customized employment and its tremendous benefits, the better!

Where do you see Vertical Harvest 5 years from now?

Hopefully, in the next 5 years, we’ll be farming in at least 10 new cities, with another 10 or so farms in the pipeline. But regardless of the number of farms, we are beyond excited to be growing more food and the future for our people. Our customized-employment model for people with disabilities means we’re literally changing the trajectory of people’s lives. These same folks might currently be stuck in lower-level jobs because of their perceived limitations. By focusing on their abilities instead of their disabilities, we’re helping people reach their full potential in exciting green tech careers. What could be more exciting than that?