Edible Garden teams up with Ohio-based pickle company

Controlled environment agriculture producer Edible Garden and Hermann Pickle Co. are teaming up to explore commercial opportunities and expand distribution.

The two companies have entered into a product development agreement to collaborate on the research and development of scalable initiatives in the production, marketing and distribution of fermented plant-based products and non-GMO consumer packaged foods, according to a news release.

Hermann Pickle Co., headquartered in Garrettsville, Ohio, specializes in refrigerated kosher dill pickles, sauerkraut and fermented food products.

“We are delighted to partner with Edible Garden given their strong brand, which resonates extremely well with health-conscious consumers,” Hermann Pickle Co. Pat Viancourt said in the release. “They bring an established and growing distribution network with big-box and independent retailers nationwide. We believe our R&D capabilities, combined with Edible Garden’s growing reputation and impressive track record, will lead to the development of exciting new non-GMO fermented product lines that will cater to the growing demand for healthy and sustainably produced products, continuing our proud legacy that began in 1967.”

Edible Garden operates greenhouses and processing facilities in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Belvidere, New Jersey. The company’s network of contract growers in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West Coast provides locally grown, cut and packed fresh lettuce and organic herbs.

Edible Garden products are offered at more than 5,000 stories in the U.S., according to the company.

“We are excited to embark on this joint development project with Hermann Pickles,” Edible Garden CEO Jim Kras said. “Hermann Pickles and sauerkrauts have been a long-standing staple at delis and dinner tables across the country for generations. At Edible Garden, we want to live up to our reputation as ‘The Flavor Maker’ by bringing the most delicious flavors to America’s homes.

“Given Hermann Pickles’ decades of experience developing and manufacturing great-tasting fermented products such as non-GMO kosher dill pickles and sauerkraut, we believe that they are a perfect partner for us.”