1. 1
MITCHELL C.E.A.
GroRak
Controlled Environment Agriculture
Design, Consulting and Development
GroRak Advantages
The GroRak tm Micro Climate System has these advantages over greenhouse grown
hydroponic produce production:
60% Less Water Use
50% Less Nutrients Use
50% Less Labor Use
80% Less Heat Use
20% Fewer Days to Harvest
400 to 600% Increase in Utilization of CEA Space
550 to 650% Increase in production per year per sq. ft.
No pesticides, fungicides or chemicals of any kind are used.
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GroRak TM
HIGH YIELD
SELF CONTAINED
Controlled
Environment
Agriculture
GroRak systems are an environmentally sound, self contained and highly profitable innovation in
fresh locally-grown produce. These low cost, high yield systems are the new paradigm in superior
quality produce for restaurants, institutions and retail produce outlets serving health conscious
consumers and community health service organizations.
People throughout the world deserve the opportunity to eat fresh, wholesome, locally-grown food.
Continued growth of populations increases demand for high quality produce and increases de-
mand for land and water for uses other than agriculture. The public demand for healthy, safe, con-
tamination-free, top quality food has long passed the “fad” stage and has become the growing
standard now driving the whole foods and organic foods explosion across the US and Europe.
Conventional agriculture faces continual increases in input costs from land, supplies, labor, fuel,
transportation and availability of quality water. These factors have led to the decline of U.S. agricul-
ture and to the importation of more than 60% of fresh produce. Although Controlled Environment
Agriculture (CEA) is not immune from production cost increases, the net effect can be much less
due to efficient use of inputs, excellent pack-out rates, and high crop yields.
Well managed CEA facilities can grow vast quantities of superior quality produce at a fraction of
the cost of conventional agricultural systems.
Market Research
The U.S. consumption of lettuce has grown 53% from 22.4 pounds per capita in 1970 to 34.4
pounds per capita in 2005. Per capita consumption of Romaine and leaf lettuce has grown from 0
pounds per capita in 1984 to 12.3 pounds per capita in 2005.
Romaine accounts for 8.3 pounds per capita and leaf lettuce accounts for 4 pounds per capita. The
consumption of head lettuce has decreased from a maximum of 29.7 pounds per capita in 1989 to
20.1 pounds per capita in 2005. There are about 7 million people living in the San Francisco Bay
Area. A minimum of 30 million pounds of green leaf lettuce are consumed per year in the S.F. Bay
Area Counties. California consumes approximately 150 million pounds of green leaf lettuce per
year.
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Market opportunities
Food Safety
Recent food-borne illness outbreaks associated with fresh spinach and lettuce has led to increased
governmental scrutiny of growing and handling methods of leafy greens. Produce buyers are in-
creasing requirements for food safety standards. This heighten awareness of produce food safety
gives Green Streets (GS) the opportunity to gain customers by promoting the GS strict food safety
protocol. GS products and facilities will be HACCP
compliant and Third Party certified.
Climate Change
Growing food crops in a protected and controlled environment the impact of climate change on
food production systems. Food grown outside is affected by too much or little precipitation, heat or
cold, wind, storms, etc. CEA food production protects the growing crops from extremes in weather
and guarantees a high quality product throughout the year. The GS sustainable CEA system con-
serves water, energy and labor while also capturing precipitation and generating energy from re-
newable resource. The GS CEA system uses 1 gallon of water to grow each head of lettuce com-
pared to 160 gallons used per head of field grown. As weather systems become more extreme
due to climate change and field-grown lettuce availability becomes more variable, food produced in
the GS CEA system will become more valuable to produce buyers throughout the U.S. and the
world.
Local and Sustainable
Growing food sustainably and distributing them locally has become a very popular movement all
over the world. As people become more concerned about their health and saving the environment,
they want to eat food that was grown locally on a sustainable farm and not sprayed with harmful
chemicals. The benefits of food handled this way are getting constant media attention. Restau-
rants and stores are labeling food “Local” or “Sustainably Grown”.
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MITCHELL C.E.A.
Controlled Environment Agriculture
Design, Consulting and Development
MicroGreen GroRack System
The MicroGreen GroRack System is approximately 10 ft. x 4 ft. x 7 ½ ft. high. The frame is con-
structed of aluminum angle, which is bolted together with stainless steel hardware and includes eight
NSF approved wheels. There are 14 – 20” x 116” growing channels, two on each level that create
seven growing levels. These channels are made from F.D.A. compliant plastic. Each level is lit with
water resistant LED grow lights. The Irrigation system includes: 3’ x 3’ reservoir with lid; NSF tubing;
fittings; fogging system; NSF ½ HP pump and timer. Also includes harvesting tools and equipment.
The GroRaks comes pre-assembled and shipped to locations in shipping containers, eight GroRaks
per 40’x 8’ container.
Cost: $8,600.00 per GroRak
Lettuce GroRack System
The Lettuce GroRack is the same description as above except there are five levels and eight cov-
ered channels 10’ long by 5” wide with 112 plant positions on each level, 560 plant positions total.
This GroRack comes with 3 times as many LED lights as the MicroGreen GroRack. LED lights use
80% less energy than conventional grow lights. Less than 1 gallon of water is used to grow each
head of lettuce compared to 160 gallons per head in the field.
Cost: $12,800 each per GroRack
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Micro Climate Building
This structure is quickly assembled on site to create a freestanding fully controlled microclimate in an
existing building. It is constructed like a greenhouse with steel tubing and plastic on the walls floor
and ceiling. These buildings come in all sizes. A 2,000 sq. ft. building will support the growing and
harvesting of 15 Racks. Environmental controls are fully automated using chilled water to cool the
rooms and to circulate and dehumidify the air. Chilled water is 20 times more efficient than air condi-
tioning using 50% less energy. The Micro Climate Building creates the perfect climate for lettuce
and MicroGreens to grow to their optimum potential.
Complete Micro Climate building (warm climates) Cost: $22.50 per sq. ft.
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Micro Herbs and Greens
Products that can be grown in the MicroGreen Rack:
Fast growing varieties (7-14 days)
Borage, Broccoli, Buckwheat, Cress, Chives, Cabbage Red, Daikon Radish
(Kaiware), Fennel, Garlic Chives, Kale Red Russian, Lemon Grass, Mizuna, Mustard
Purple, Kohlrabi Purple, Radish China Rose, Radish Hong Vit, Purple Radish, Rain-
bow Mix, Tatsoi, Wasabi, Pop Corn Shoots (golden), Golden Mung Shoots, Pea
Shoots (green & golden), Sunflower Shoots, Wasabi, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, Oat
Grass, etc.
Slower growing varieties (15-24 days)
Arugula, Amaranth Garnet, Basil, Celery, Cilantro, Mitsuba (Japanese Parsley), Onion
(Scallion), Shungiku, Sorrel, Beets Bull’s Blood & Yellow, Chard Bright Lights & Ruby
Red, etc.
1 MicroGreen Rack equipped with 14 – 20” x 116” growing channels will grow any of
the products above. Some seeds produce different weights of finished product.
These are some production numbers of popular MicroGreen products that can be
produced per Rack:
20 lbs. Broccoli microgreens
per day @ $40/lb.
Cost of Goods* - $5/lb.
23 lbs. Kaiware microgreens
per day @ $40/lb.
Cost of Goods* - $4/lb.
40 lbs. Snow Pea shoots
per day@ $15-$20/lb.
Cost of Goods* - $5/lb
70 lbs. cut Wheatgrass
per day of @ $10-$20/lb.
Cost of Goods* - $4/lb.
Packaged Microgreens sell
wholesale: $5 to $10 per 4 oz.
box ($20-$40/lb.)
* Cost of Goods to produce one
pound includes: seed; nutri-
ents; growing materials; labor;
utilities; packaging.
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GroRack/Micro Climate facility is a portable, clean, sealed growing environment that
has these advantages over conventional farming practices: Food Safety – No con-
tamination, HACCP compliant
Locally Produced, High Yield
Up to 99% less water used
Year Round Organic Produce
Absolutely Fresh – 100 - 200% Longer shelf life
Consistent High Quality – Year Around Production
Comfortable and Safe Work Environment
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Example:
A 2,000 sq. ft. Micro Climate Building equipped with15 MicroGreen GroRaks can
produce 600 lbs. of Snow Pea Shoots every day, year round. This would generate
$9,000-12,000 gross per day and $6,000-$9,000 per day after subtracting Cost of
Goods.
The same building equipped with 15 Lettuce GroRak systems can produce 555 heads
of Gourmet lettuce every day, year round. This would generate $1,110 gross per day
and $976 per day after subtracting Cost of Goods*.
A 500 gallon micro-aquaponics system could be added to the lettuce scenario above
for about $1,000 per 15 Lettuce GroRaks. This aquaponics system would provide all
the nutrients needed to grow top quality gourmet lettuce and have a periodic harvest
of fish.
Cost of Goods to produce one pound includes: seed; nutrients; growing materials;
labor; utilities; packaging. Does not include distribution.
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Products that can be grown in the MicroGreen GroRack:
Fast growing varieties (7-14 days)
Borage, Broccoli, Buckwheat, Cress, Chives, Cabbage Red, Daikon Radish (Kaiware), Fennel, Gar-
lic Chives, Kale Red Russian, Lemon Grass, Mizuna, Mustard Purple, Kohlrabi Purple, Radish China
Rose, Radish Hong Vit, Purple Radish, Rainbow Mix, Tatsoi, Wasabi, Pop Corn Shoots (golden),
Golden Mung Shoots, Pea Shoots (green & golden), Sunflower Shoots, Wasabi, Wheat Grass, Bar-
ley Grass, Oat Grass, etc.
Slower growing varieties (15-24 days)
Arugula, Amaranth Garnet, Basil, Celery, Cilantro, Mitsuba (Japanese Parsley), Onion (Scallion),
Shungiku, Sorrel, Beets Bull’s Blood & Yellow, Chard Bright Lights & Ruby Red, etc.
MicroGreens are larger sprouts that are grown straight and a few days older. Their nutritional value
is 50 times greater than if you allowed them to go to a full sized vegetable. Most seeds produce dif-
ferent weights of finished product.
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Production numbers of popular microgreens
products that can be produced per GroRack
20 lbs. Broccoli microgreens¹ per day @ $40/lb. Cost of Goods* - $5/lb. or
23 lbs. Kaiware microgreens per day @ $40/lb. Cost of Goods* - $4/lb. or
40 lbs. Snow Pea shoots per day@ $15-$20/lb. Cost of Goods* - $5/lb or
70 lbs. cut Wheatgrass per day of @ $10-$20/lb. Cost of Goods* - $4/lb.
Packaged Microgreens sell wholesale: $5 to $10 per 4 oz. box ($20-$40/lb.)
* Cost of Goods to produce one pound includes: seed; nutrients; growing materials; labor; utilities;
packaging. Does not include distribution costs.
¹ In 1992, Dr. Paul Talalay and Dr. Jed W. Fahey of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medi-
cine isolated a phytochemical in broccoli called sulforaphane glucosinolate. Their studies revealed that
this compound, when broken down to its active form, sulforaphane, acts as a long-lasting antioxidant
that detoxifies carcinogens in the body. They discovered 1 ounce of broccoli sprouts contained as
much of the photochemical sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) as 1 1/4 pounds of cooked
broccoli. Broccoli sprouts have grown in popularity ever since then.
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Lettuce GroRak
Popular lettuces that can be grow in the Lettuce GroRak:
Oakleaf, Salad Bowl, Lollo Bionda, Red Sail, Lollo Rossa, Green Vision, Black Seed
Simpson, Red Romaine and Grand Rapids.
These are fast growing lettuces that can reach full maturity in 15 days from the time
the seedlings are planted in the GroRack.
One Lettuce GroRack equipped with 40 – 10’ x 5” cannels can produce 560 heads of
full grown gourmet lettuce every 15 days; 37 heads per day every day; 335 heads of
lettuce per sq. ft. per year.
These types of lettuce can sell for $1.50 to $2.50 per head wholesale, depending
on market prices. Cost of Goods* to produce $.24 per head.
