Great growth for Mucci Farms

By the numbers: Mucci Farms in Huron • $100 million: Amount of total private investment being made at the growing facility; That's up from the original estimate of $70 million. • 75: Number of acres all three greenhouses will collectively take up once the planned expansion is completed • 55: Length in feet of how long vines holding tomatoes can grow • 30 million: Number of pounds of tomatoes that can be produced each year; It's expected the number could reach 50 million pounds after a planned expansion. • 7.6 billion: Number of pounds of tomatoes consumed each year in the U.S. Source: Mucci Farms HURON — No matter on the inside or outside, activity at Mucci Farms is certainly ripe. The Canadian-headquartered agricultural company overseeing operations in Huron, its first U.S. growing facility, recently began pursuing a massive on-site expansion. By this fall, owners intend on debuting a third greenhouse. It'll be sized identical to the other two. Once construction work ends, plans show all three greenhouses taking up 75 acres of land, wrapping around East Bogart and Rye Beach roads, beside BGSU Firelands. Huron's Mucci (pronounced "moo-chee") site only produces tomatoes and in three varieties: on the vine, beefsteak and cocktail. In its two greenhouses today, on an annual basis, workers can grow more than 30 million pounds of tomatoes, sold at big box stores and major retailers nationwide. But, with a third greenhouse coming online soon, expect the number to jump to about 50 million pounds each year. The overall investment, with a third greenhouse on standby, totals $100 million — a figure much bigger than the original estimate, $70 million, but one Mucci's management team feels really good about. "The company is confident in the investment and that it will yield a great return," Mucci's general manager Dave Loewen said. "We're right on schedule." Mucci needs more space due to burgeoning demand for its non-GMO-grown tomatoes. Other than Mucci Farms in Huron, "There are not a lot of tomatoes being grown in Ohio during the middle of winter," said Loewen, pointing out how 7.6 billion pounds of tomatoes are consumed each year in the U.S. "That puts more demand on our products." Loewen then shared the company's mission. "Our goal when somebody buys a Mucci tomato, or any Mucci product, sees it as both great quality and great tasting. That is super important to us. Quality is our No. 1 priority." Consider Huron city manager Matt Lasko as one of the company's biggest backers. "Mucci has proven to be a tremendous asset and addition to Huron and the broader region," Lasko said. "Their continued investment in the community, evidenced by ongoing construction (of the third phase), is critical to the growing economic vitality of the area. We look forward to the continued partnership." Lasko referenced how Mucci Farms also represents a good corporate neighbor. He recalled a situation occurring in 2018 and 2019. Back then, Mucci experienced trouble containing emitted light, which illuminated Huron's night skies and visible from miles away. The company acted quickly and consulted with professionals to address this issue, which hasn't been a problem for almost two years now, Loewen said. "It was a learning process," Loewen said. "We consulted with some industry experts and came up with a strategy that worked." More on Mucci Since the 1960s, Mucci Farms has grown non-GMO produce — specializing in tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce and strawberries — inside factory-size greenhouses. Sophisticated, energy-efficient systems for heating and electricity create an ideal environment to grow crops year-round, no matter if it's 90 degrees and humid in July or 10 below zero and freezing in January. The high-wattage lighting system helps all produce mature, in a matter of weeks, from seeds to fully grown crops dangling off vines that grow upward of 55 feet long. "We have to make sure, especially in the wintertime, that we keep a consistent climate," Loewen said. "We are basically trying to create summer inside all year so the crops can grow optimally." Then there's a computer-controlled irrigation program, which knows exactly when an individual plant needs more or less water. Sitting and growing in its own station, each crop receives an individual spigot to receive proper nutrients. Mucci incorporates a hydroponic process, meaning it relies on water and not soil to grow crops. With tomatoes, for instance, they need enough minerals so their vines can grow. Mucci Farms has facilities in Ontario, Canada, along with Ohio, Michigan and Texas "The whole locally grown concept has really taken off," company CEO Bert Mucci said. "That is what the wholesalers and retailers want." Yet the company doesn't completely ignore the outdoor elements. Combining both systems, Mucci executives said, yields better tasting and overall healthier foods. "Mother Nature is still active in our greenhouse ecosystem," according to a company statement. "We have a reduced need for pesticides because we're growing indoors, and we're able to attack most of our pest-control issues by using integrated pest management, which are good bugs to fight bad bugs."