Heron Farms

Founded in 2020, Heron Farms based in Charleston, South Carolina, operates what it claims is the world’s first indoor saltwater vertical farm. The company employs predictive software, cutting-edge automated data collection, and analysis methods to manage and monitor water salinity, carbon dioxide, growth cycles, and yield. Heron Farms' primary crop, sea beans, is grown in seawater. Freshwater is then extracted from the sea bean via a process known as evapotranspiration and used to produce additional crops.

As of February 2023, the company's first product, Sea Beans, was available on a subscription basis. The company asserts that sea beans provide several nutritional advantages, including being a vegan source of Omega-3, containing high levels of magnesium, protein, vitamin A, fiber, iron, and calcium, and being a unique source of sea minerals. The company was also planning to launch two new products, namely a plant-based salt and Saltzer.

Key customers and partnerships

NASA and Heron Farms have collaborated to investigate the potential for halophytes to germinate in simulated lunar and Martian regolith. Among Heron Farms' partners are Dalai Sofia, Westbrook Brewing Company, and Charles Towne Fermentory.

Funding and financials 

In February 2023, Heron Farms was awarded a USD 250,000 grant by South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA)'s investment affiliate, SC Launch, to expand its vertical farming operations that do not require naturally occurring freshwater. The company became an SCRA member in 2022 and was awarded a USD 50,000 acceleration grant.

Key competitors: None comparable (Heron Farms’ product focus is unique.)