GoodLeaf Headed to the Top of Canada’s Iconic CN Tower
GoodLeaf greens to be featured in local salad on menu at 360 Restaurant
GUELPH, Ont. — Microgreens from GoodLeaf Farms — Canada’s first and largest commercial vertical farm — are featured in a salad from 360 Restaurant in the country’s tallest free-standing structure.
GoodLeaf’s Ontario Crisp Lettuce and Spicy Mustard Medley will anchor the Local Farms Salad — which also includes Cookstown Beets, Niagara Baco Noir and blueberry vinaigrette — on the new menu at 360 Restaurant. The revamped menu, which promises an elevated dining experience with an emphasis on local Ontario ingredients, launches November 3rd.
“We are excited to be included in the new menu at 360 Restaurant in Canada’s most iconic structure,” says Allison Vaux, Foodservice Accounts Manager from GoodLeaf Farms. “Packing a flavour punch and loaded with nutrients, microgreens instantly elevate any dish they are added to. But they also help diners feel more comfortable with their food choices, knowing they are supporting local sustainable food.
360 Restaurant’s commitment to sustainability is a perfect fit with GoodLeaf, which practices sustainable farming. The compact footprint of GoodLeaf’s vertical farm in Guelph, Ont., only uses a fraction of the land required to grow leafy greens outdoors, and it uses 95 per cent less water than a traditional farm. With a controlled environment, there are no pesticides, fungicides or herbicides used in the growing of GoodLeaf’s microgreens and baby greens.
After each harvest, the growing medium used in the hydroponic operation is recycled and reused for landscaping.
"At 360 Restaurant, our goal is to source fresh, local, sustainable ingredients to create delicious dishes year-round for our guests," says Executive Chef John Morris. "We are pleased to partner with 100km Foods to bring Ontario-grown greens from GoodLeaf Farms to our new fall/winter menu."
GoodLeaf’s produce is being delivered to 360 Restaurant by 100km Foods, a wholesale local food distributor in Toronto that connects chefs with local farms and producers, ensuring establishments like 360 Restaurant in urban areas have access to delicious and local farm fresh food.
GoodLeaf’s greens will be shipped to 360 Restaurant in re-usable bins, further reducing potential waste packaging.
“100km Foods is excited to partner with GoodLeaf Farms to bring year-round sustainably grown microgreens and lettuces into the hands of Southern Ontario’s best chefs like John at Restaurant 360,” says Alicia Kumagai, Sales and Marketing Manager at 100km Foods.
Microgreens and baby greens are used in the world’s best kitchens as a fresh and vibrant garnish or key ingredient, adding flavour, texture and nutrition to the dish. Applications go beyond just salads and sandwiches — microgreens are a welcome addition to healthy bowls, signature burgers, pizzas, tacos, pastas — even smoothies. Microgreens go a long way on the plate, offering up to 40 times more vital nutrients than their fully grown counterparts.
“GoodLeaf Farms makes it possible to grow fresh greens in Canada year-round, giving chefs more options to present local food on their menus where they couldn’t before,” says Ms. Vaux. “And they are easy to work with — arriving at the restaurant pre-cut and inspected for quality, meaning minimal kitchen prep is required.”
Follow GoodLeaf Farms on Instagram @goodleaffarms and Like it on Facebook at /GoodLeafFarms.
About GoodLeaf Farms:
With a passion for delicious, nutrient-rich greens, GoodLeaf was founded in Halifax in 2011. Using an innovative technology and leveraging multi-level vertical farming, GoodLeaf has created a controlled and efficient indoor farm that can grow fresh produce anywhere in the world, 365 day of the year. The system combines innovations in LED lighting with leading edge hydroponic techniques to produce sustainable, safe, pesticide-free, nutrient-dense leafy greens. GoodLeaf has ongoing R&D Programs in collaboration with the University of Guelph, Dalhousie University and Acadia University.
Learn more at goodleaffarms.com.
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