We all know about farm-to-table, the idea of going out in our local communities and sourcing ingredients as close-to-home as possible. In fact, in last year's What's Hot Trends Report, the National Restaurant Association listed hyper-local sourcing as their top trend of 2018.
These ideas, this awareness of distance between where food is grown, where it's purchased, where it's processed and where it's consumed, isn't going away. In fact, creative operators are looking for different methods to implement the farm-to-table mentality, and Profeta Farms in Readington, New Jersey may have just found the next link between farming and foodservice.
While we typically think of farmers markets as a place where farmers bring their goods to a central location in the community, Profeta has turned that notion upside down. Instead of bringing the farm to the people, their idea is to bring the people to the farm.
The Profeta Farms Market is one of the only markets in the nation to provide a full range of certified organic foods that are all grown right on premises. Greenhouses complete with hydroponic systems make growing a year-round affair, and the market also includes a coffee shop, butcher, dairy, and a dry aging room.
In total, the facility has 26 different refrigeration or freezer units, and RDT is proud to play just a small role in this innovative operation. The Eco-Cool refrigeration system includes only six compressors, including digital scroll compressors for all 26 compartments, each with full redundancy. It is a "remote air" system, with compressors being inside the building while condensers are located outside.