Jun 25, 2012 10:21 AM

The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company Inc (A&P) and BrightFarms Inc have partnered to deliver the freshest local produce to A&P’s family of stores. A&P has signed the grocery industry’s third long-term produce purchase agreement (PPA), becoming the only retailer of BrightFarms’ Brooklyn-grown produce from its rooftop farm.

BrightFarms finances, builds, and operates greenhouses at or near supermarkets, bringing the farmer’s market to the supermarket. The company is responding to consumers’ increasing demand for local produce and growing interest in connecting with farmers and producers. The multi-acre farm, a hydroponic greenhouse, will be built on 100,000 square feet of rooftop space, establishing a new national model for urban agriculture.

The partnership between A&P and BrightFarms confirms that a new produce supply chain—one that is thousands of miles shorter—is well under way. The BrightFarms’ Brooklyn NY greenhouse is the world’s largest rooftop farm, growing up to one million pounds of local produce per year. Now customers will have the opportunity to purchase local lettuce, tomato, and herb varieties at a neighborhood A&P, The Food Emporium, Pathmark, or Waldbaum’s in the New York metropolitan area.

A&P’s new marketing campaign reflects its commitment to providing better products and shortening its supply chain. Under the campaign, entitled “Shopping Just Got a Whole Lot Better,” A&P is adapting each store to reflect the neighborhoods it serves.

A greenhouse groundbreaking event is scheduled for September 2012. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for the opening of the greenhouse in the first quarter of 2013.

Founded in 1859, A&P is one of the nation’s first supermarket chains. The company operates 320 stores in six states under these trade names: A&P, Best Cellars, Food Basics, The Food Emporium, Pathmark, Superfresh, and Waldbaum’s.

Access www.aptea.com or www.brightfarms.com for complete information.