Laval, our most technologically advanced greenhouse.

By 2013, our community of Lufavores was growing and hungry for more than our Ahuntsic greenhouse could handle. It was clear to us that it was time to start planning for a new rooftop.

Turning to our Lufavores to raise the bar and help us improve. When we first started, our baskets resembled the typical CSA (community-supported agriculture) model: a preset, non-customizable produce box. At the request of some Lufavores, our team would swap a head of lettuce here for a case of tomatoes there - but we knew there was a better solution. Given our full range of products provided by our partnerships with local producers, we wanted Lufavores to be able to customize their baskets with everything from fresh fruits and veg to morning-made bread and local dairy…all through one online Marketplace.

Building our in-house logistics software and an eCommerce platform for fully customizable baskets. In April 2013, after months of hard work, we transitioned from building fixed baskets using spreadsheets to the first fully developed version of our online Marketplace! And thanks to the invaluable feedback we collect from Lufavores during our annual survey, we’ve made countless improvements to our website since then. Nicolas, our VP of Technology, remembers the team spending sleepless nights making sure the new tool ran smoothly and is amazed when looking back at how far we’ve come.

Adding 43,000 square feet of rooftop growing space to our roster. The construction of new buildings is inevitable, but by including rooftop greenhouses in the plans, we can at least try to mitigate the loss of green space. Ready to try a new avenue, our second greenhouse was built in partnership with a local construction company, Montoni, who was already erecting a new building in Laval. By designing a rooftop greenhouse integrated with the new building below, the execution was quicker, more efficient, and all-around optimized. Javier, one of our Head Growers, has nicknamed Laval “the Ferrari of the greenhouses” because of its high-tech climate system (optimizing temperature and humidity levels), nets to keep curious critters out when we open the windows for cooling, and next-level efficiency, including double-paned glass to reduce heat loss and maximize energy savings.

When deciding what to grow in this new site, we turned to our learnings from our first greenhouse for improvements. Our first rooftop’s layout, while great for growing a diverse lineup, can be challenging since the two separate zones require very different climates for optimal production. For our second site, we decided to focus on a single system opting for drip irrigation and ultimately creating the perfect environment for our beloved tomatoes - including our famous rooftop cherries.  

With a new greenhouse doubling our veg production, flourishing partnerships with local producers, customizable baskets, and an online Marketplace featuring a full grocery lineup, we successfully expanded our offering. Our growing community of Lufavores can now tackle most of their groceries on our Marketplace, all while encouraging a better food system. In short, the support of our community means our crazy ideas become more of a reality each day.