A note from our Produce Director Max Maddaus, September 2022:
Food matters. Truth matters. This is why Minnesota Grown matters. When you purchase fresh herbs like basil, mint and rosemary, you’ll find that they are often grown in South America, usually in Argentina and Colombia. When those herbs are grown in those countries, it takes a lot to get them to Minnesota.
One of the most important initiatives of Kowalski’s Produce Departments is our Minnesota Grown program, which focuses on buying produce closer to home. That is why we support Urban Greens, a local hydroponic herb farm located in the heart of Minneapolis, and offer their full lineup of Minnesota Grown fresh herbs in our markets. Supporting Urban Greens supports far more sustainable growing practices than traditional farming methods. They use significantly less water and energy and eliminate significant road and air miles – by as much as 99.7%!
TRADITIONALLY GROWN HERBS FROM COLOMBIA
1,529 mi. – Flight from Bogotá to Fort Lauderdale, Florida
1,492 mi. – Flight from Fort Lauderdale to the Twin Cities
92 mi. – Drive from distributor to MSP Airport, then MSP to distributor
46 mi. – Drive from distributor to Kowalski’s Woodbury Market
Total miles = 3,159
HERBS GROWN BY URBAN GREENS IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, MINNESOTA
26 mi. – Drive from Urban Greens to Woodbury
Total miles = 26