80 Acres Farms named Among Cincinnati Business Courier Inaugural Power 25

The Courier's Power 25 highlights a mix of people, companies and organizations that are behind efforts to add population, raise Cincinnati’s profile, create jobs and contribute to the region’s economic strength and vibrancy. This is not meant to be all inclusive or all encompassing, but to highlight those who are moving the needle.

80 Acres Farms was among the top listed for the Courier's Power 25:

It was a huge win for Greater Cincinnati when 80 Acres Farms, in announcing a historic merger, affirmed the newly combined company will keep its corporate headquarters in Hamilton. Founded in 2015, 80 Acres is the region’s best-funded startup, having raised $400 million to advance innovation, build scale and bring some measure of consistency to the industry of vertical farming.

Its August merger with Virginia-based Soli Organic has given the firm, which already counted Kroger as its largest customer, truly national reach. The combined company will serve 17,000 retail sites and is expected to bring in $200 million its first fiscal year. It will employ around 1,400, though there were “synergies” between the companies that resulted in elimination of some duplicate roles, according to 80 Acres CEO Mike Zelkind. He declined to say how many.

Nevertheless, 80 Acres’ count of just under 300 Greater Cincinnati employees could grow with the merger. Soli as a standalone firm was “very remotely focused,” according to Zelkind. Some of those roles could be called back into the office, and those would likely be positions located in the Cincinnati region, he said.

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See the Full Courier Power 25 List Here.