Dutch Greenhouses Come to US as Farm-Grocery Hybrids

Imagine walking into a grocery store where your lettuce was growing in the back room an hour ago.

That's the vision LocalDutch is bringing to the United States with its Urban Farm Shops. The Dutch agri-tech company is combining greenhouse farming with retail stores in a single location, growing produce on-site and selling it fresh to local customers.

The concept launched in The Hague and now has its sights set on American communities where fresh produce can be hard to find. Instead of vegetables traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to reach store shelves, they'll be harvested steps away from the checkout counter.

LocalDutch plans to generate revenue through direct sales, community supported agriculture memberships, and local delivery partnerships. Each location can adapt to its market while using the same core technology.

The company received a $40,000 grant from Pennsylvania's Agricultural Innovation Program in February 2025 to support its automated greenhouse model. LocalDutch says it has received over $68 million in funding proposals from investors interested in the concept.

Why This Inspires

The biggest innovation isn't the greenhouse itself but how LocalDutch solved the expertise problem. Running a high-performing greenhouse requires rare climate specialists who know how to maintain perfect growing conditions year-round.

LocalDutch built an AI-powered "autopilot" system that manages indoor climate through cloud services. Individual stores can operate successfully without needing specialized greenhouse experts on staff at every location.

"What we are bringing to the United States is truly Dutch technology, applied in a way that is both effective and easy to scale," said Arne Spliet, co-founder of LocalDutch. The automation makes the model accessible to communities that couldn't otherwise support advanced greenhouse operations.

The approach could transform food access in underserved neighborhoods, Caribbean islands, and African communities where supply chains depend on long-distance transport. Fresh produce would become reliably available year-round, with less waste and lower costs from reduced transportation.

These aren't just stores but community gathering spaces built around locally grown food. Customers can see exactly where their vegetables come from and connect with the food system in a tangible way.

Fresh lettuce grown where you shop it might soon be as normal as buying bread from an in-store bakery.