Kenneth Brown
Bark River, MI (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal
Off the Vine Hydroponic Gardens
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Startup
Location:
Bark River
Industry:
Food Service/Restaurant
Year Founded:
2008
Number Employees:
1-10 people
Description:
Off the Vine Hydroponic Gardens is a company that will provide year round production of fruits and vegetables for local stores and restaurants in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. Off the Vine will take advantage of the continued increase in food prices by providing a low cost, local, and ecological source of produce.
Off the Vine will target local stores and restaurants, keeping delivery costs down. Utilizing the Verti-Gro™ hydroponic growing system will maximize the growing potential in the greenhouses, and will eliminate the need for expensive equipment to maintain crop production. By using heated and lighted greenhouses produce can be supplied to costumers with out interruption. To off set the high overhead of heating and lighting a 10kw or even a 50kw wind turbine could be installed. It is likely that a wind turbine could produce more energy than is needed, thus providing a small but additional income. At a maximum of 4 employees payroll costs can be at a minimum.
By using USGA for a price base line, I estimate that 38% production should bring in net sales of over $100,000 annually. I believe that to be viable Off the Vine needs to maintain sales of at or near this amount. At full production I believe that sales will exceed $250,000 annually.