en.Wedoany.com Reported - Hippo Harvest, a US-based leafy greens grower, announced the completion of a $30 million Series C funding round, led by Cox Farms, the largest greenhouse operator in North America. The company uses robot and machine learning-based greenhouse production to grow USDA-certified organic vegetables. The funding will be used to build a new 30-acre facility in Hollister, California, and develop the next-generation robotic planting system to expand growing areas and accelerate the commercialization of indoor-grown spinach.
The commercialization of spinach marks a significant milestone for Hippo Harvest, which launched butter lettuce for retail buyers in early 2026. Together, the two products support a growing line of indoor-grown vegetables aimed at ensuring year-round stable supply. Hippo Harvest's hybrid product portfolio combines greenhouse vegetables with organic field-grown vegetables, offering a wider variety and reliable supply in an industry affected by climate fluctuations.
At the core of Hippo Harvest's model is a proprietary robotic planting system that uses autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and machine learning to monitor, care for, and harvest plants at every stage of growth. The upgraded system uses robotic "tractors" to automatically adjust the spacing of planting modules throughout the growth cycle, maximizing space efficiency and yield at the farm level. The next-generation system funded by this round aims to increase throughput, reduce unit costs, and accelerate the company's ability to scale new varieties.
Eitan Marder-Eppstein, CEO and co-founder of Hippo Harvest, said that completing this funding round and bringing spinach to market demonstrates the company's direction. He noted that the company has spent years building a system capable of consistently producing certified organic vegetables at a reasonable price, and this investment allows the company to achieve that goal on a larger scale.
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Pescadero, California, Hippo Harvest currently serves retail buyers in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, including Sprouts, Haggen (a brand under Albertsons), and Gus's Community Markets in San Francisco. The company plans to expand to the West Coast and develop more national retail partnerships. Cox Farms, a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, led the Series C round, with existing and new investors including Congruent Ventures, Hawthorne Food Ventures, Collaborative Fund, and Fresh Investment Club. Previously, the company completed a $21 million Series B round led by Standard Investments in February 2024.
Steve Bradley, President of Cox Farms, stated that Hippo Harvest has made exciting progress in the indoor agriculture sector, and Cox Farms actively seeks opportunities to support innovation and new technologies in the indoor farming space.
