“Village Farms International’s ‘Texas Grown’ concept sprouted from the growing consumer interest in locally sourced fruits and vegetables,” said Helen L. Aquino, marketing manager for the Eatontown, NJ-based leading greenhouse grower. “Consumers want to understand where their food is grown while supporting their local farmers. In Texas, consumers also have a unique allegiance to not only locally grown, but also to a sense of place or ‘locale.’”

Texans, she added, are proud of their state and they want to support anything produced or grown within their great state’s borders. Village Farms’ “Texas Grown” seal which is on its packaging that is produced in one of the company’s Texas greenhouses, gives consumers that assurance.

“The seal design utilizes the iconic shape of the state for quick identification, and the dynamic green color was chosen because it promotes the feeling of growth and product freshness,” said Aquino. “The ‘Texas Grown’ script font contributes to a farm fresh authenticity.”

Village Farms’ “crown glory” in applied research is its Greenhouse Advanced Technology Expert System. The GATES system was created to perfect vegetable and fruit greenhouse production in high-sun and low-humidity areas. Adjacent to the company’s facilities in Marfa, TX, this revolutionary greenhouse in the Permian Basin is a combination of unique and valuable intellectual property.

“The entire project is a multi-million dollar investment developed using new concepts in greenhouse design technology, climate control and crop management,” said Aquino. “Utilizing new combinations of hardware, software, sensors and control systems, GATES technology has defined industry standards in advanced food-safety principles, production levels and environmental stewardship values for greenhouse production.”

Douglas Kling is the senior vice president, chief sales and marketing officer for Village Farms. He said that tomatoes are produced year-round at the company’s newest Permian Basin division greenhouse in Texas, which is the first ever greenhouse modeled after Village Farms’ proprietary GATES technology.

“The state-of-the-art controlled-environment agriculture facility is 30 acres,” said Kling. “After five years of research and development, this state-of-the-art technology  has allowed Village Farms to prove out the technology and show it is commercially viable to grow in an area as geographically challenging as the Permian Basin. By utilizing enhanced growing techniques that minimizes water usage and optimizes yield, quality, safety and flavor, the GATES system brings forth advances that meet the future needs of farming.

“In the next three decades, the population will exponentially expand, while the water supply and other critical natural resources will maintain at their current levels,” Kling continued. “The GATES technology, which is focused on efficient eco-friendly sustainable and commercially viable programs, is the answer to the challenges of an ever expanding population.”

Tomatoes produced at the GATES greenhouse include tomatoes-on-the-vine, beefsteak, grape, Campari, Roma and, among the company’s newest tomatoes, the authentic mini San Marzano heirloom plum tomato, which Village Farms has trademarked with the “Heavenly Villagio Marzano” name.

Village Farms’ extensive line of high-quality greenhouse-grown produce also includes sweet bell peppers in red, yellow and orange, and long English and mini cucumbers. It markets all of its greenhouse produce under its trademarked names: “Delectable TOV,” “Savory Roma,” “Lip-Smackn’ Grapes,” “Juicy Beefsteak,” “Luscious Seedless Long English,” “Sweet Bells,” “Mini Sensations,” “Baby Beefs” and “Sinfully Sweet Campari.”

“Add to this list our exclusive new offerings: the ‘Heavenly Villagio Marzano’ and ‘Exquisite Heirlooms,’” Kling added. “We are trialing several new exclusive varieties of tomatoes and cucumbers at our Permian Basin division with exceptional results on yield year-to-date.”

Village Farms uses Integrated Pest Management to combat bugs, and it does not use herbicides. It recycles water five times and it uses less land to grow more food.

“These practices make our operations highly environmentally and economically efficient,” said Aquino. “Our variety development has always focused on creating consistent quality vine-ripened products with the highest level of food safety. This is what we deliver fresh to our retail customers 365 days a year. What truly sets us apart within the niche market of high-tech hydroponic growers is our focus on flavor.”

Village Farms’ customers are located across Canada and the United States, and it expanding its export markets. Its primary customer focus is on the fresh retail side, with inroads in upscale foodservice operators and restaurant clients.

Aquino added that the company has seen a fantastic response to its “Olde World Flavor” collection that was launched at the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit in October 2012.

“Our new packaging concepts, including our new trademarked variety names, were launched at the 2012 PMA Fresh Summit, and these too continue to be well received,” said Aquino. “We will have more exciting developments in 2013 that will link consumer desire for healthy snacking and easy meal planning options.”

“Consumer trends in wellness continue to build with the graying of America,” Kling noted. “People are living longer, stronger and better. Childhood obesity is becoming not only a domestic but also a global epidemic. As a company and an industry, we are positioned well to meet consumer needs for better, ,stronger and healthier lives.

“In addition, there is a strong consumer focus on locally grown produce,” he continued. “Produce shipped within one day or a little over a day from the greenhouse allows for fresher product to the consumer. That also equates to longer shelf life and reduced shrink at the retail level. The new GATES location in the Permian Basin is geographically central to several major population centers in areas where water conservation and growing efficiency are critical to the ecological balance of the area. At Village Farms, these are exciting times.”

Michael DeGiglio, the founder and chief executive officer of Village Farms commented that the trend for greenhouse-grown produce continues to grow.

“Well over 50 percent of the volume in tomatoes are currently coming from high- tech greenhouse operations in North America,” said DeGiglio. “Two decades ago that number was less than 2 percent.  As Village Farms prepares to celebrate 25 years in business in 2014, we will continue to build on our new advanced growing efficiencies that maintain the attributes of flavor, quality, safety and sustainability.”

“Above all, our most important asset is the people who work for Village Farms and make it what it is today: a leader in greenhouse-grown produce,” he added.