Grocer uses LED lighting for store-grown produce

　　Transportation costs and time are the enemies of getting fresh produce to consumers, and are a significant driving force behind the proliferation of LED-lit vertical farms located near urban population centers. For example, Green Sense Farms located in Indiana has a vertical farm in a warehouse that uses 8000 4-ft linear LED fixtures to grow micro greens, herbs, and lettuce for supply to the greater Chicago area. But Texas grocer Central Market wants to reduce transportation time and cost even more dramatically, and has a vertical farm with solid-state lighting (SSL) in a recycled shipping container located outside the backdoor of one of its Dallas-area stores. Customers at that store can opt for store-grown lettuces (Fig. 1) and herbs that have a commute of about one minute to reach the produce section.

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　　Central Market is an offshoot of mainstream grocery chain H-E-B. There are about ten of the specialty stores located around the state of Texas. Visit one and it feels something like a Whole Foods market on steroids. There are even more specialty items in every part of the store. When we visited the Central Market on East Lovers Lane in Dallas, for example, there was a tomato display that seemed to be around 20 ft long or more and housed dozens of heirloom varieties. The variety in every department — bakery, fish, meat, cheeses, and more — was amazing and all appeared to be absolutely top quality.

　　The grocer sources products from all over the world including wines and cheeses, but there is a clear focus on freshness in the produce section. The store doesn't exclusively sell organic products, but the company's website says that out of 700 varieties of fruits and vegetables, 150 are organic. Moreover, the organic label may not even be the critical qualification in the vertical-farming era where hydroponically-fed lettuces and greens don't even require washing.