On Tuesday, June 18, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the completion of the New York State Regional Food Hub, a $45 million cold-storage facility that will transform food access across New York.
Hochul said the first-of-its-kind 60,000-square-foot facility, operated by GrowNYC in the Hunts Point neighborhood of the Bronx, will enable a 600 % increase in locally sourced food distribution—from approximately 3 million pounds to 20 million pounds annually by 2034—while creating over 200 new jobs and providing a critical economic lifeline to New York farmers.
The governor said the facility, supported by $19 million from New York State, as recommended by the New York City Regional Economic Development Council, represents a joint State and City investment designed to strengthen the local food economy, support New York farmers, and improve access to healthy and affordable foods for low-income communities.
“The New York State Regional Food Hub is a game-changer for families and farmers across New York,” Hochul said. “From the streets of the Bronx to the farms of Batavia, the Empire State has so much to offer. That’s why we invested in this massive GrowNYC facility to expand access to fresh, local food while creating new economic opportunities for our agricultural producers.”
Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “We are proud to support this transformative infrastructure that will create jobs and dramatically expand access to affordable, healthy food for New Yorkers.
“ESD’s strategic investment enhances the efficiency, sustainability, and equity of our state’s food system by connecting upstate farmers directly to downstate markets, ensuring urban families have access to the quality produce they deserve,” she added. “The New York State Regional Food Hub represents a model investment that will benefit communities across our state.”
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The New York State Regional Food Hub is designed to be a game changer for our farmers bringing products to market and for our families, who will have greater access to quality New York-grown fruits and vegetables.
“We learned during the pandemic that we needed to double down on our efforts to strengthen the food supply chain and make sure that we had a food system right here in New York that was resilient and could feed its communities,” he added. “This Food Hub is a tremendous piece of that puzzle and will provide an incredible benefit to our underserved populations and farmers.”
GrowNYC President and CEO Marcel Van Ooyen said, “We’re beyond grateful for the vast support from city and state leaders that led to the completion of this state-of-the-art facility, and that will advance our work in promoting equitable food access in New York. Our Food Hub provides ample opportunities for GrowNYC and farmers to make a tangible impact on the everyday lives of underserved New Yorkers. I’m hopeful it will be a scalable model for how cities across the United States can combat hunger while supporting local farm systems.”
Hochul said the Food Hub will enable GrowNYC to quadruple its aggregation and distribution square footage, dramatically expanding wholesale distribution capacity to make fresh, local foods accessible to underserved New Yorkers.
She said the facility would serve wholesale buyers, including institutions and restaurants, while strengthening innovative partnerships with nonprofit organizations.
Building on GrowNYC’s current work distributing free produce through the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets New York Food for New York Families program — which unites a network of 20 community partners, including Graham Windham and The POINT, to serve the Hunts Point community and beyond — the governor said the expanded Hub will significantly scale these vital food access efforts.
She said the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York City Council, the US Economic Development Administration, Bank of America, and others provided additional funding.
The governor said the facility addresses a critical need identified during the COVID-19 pandemic when food insecurity in New York City grew from 1.4 million residents to approximately 2 million.
By sourcing food directly from regional farms and creating new jobs, she said the Hub will support New York State farmers — minimal- and mid-sized operations — while increasing food distribution capacity and enhancing access to New York City’s wholesale marketplace.
Hochul said the processing facility will assist upstate producers and processors in targeting institutional and private sector procurement opportunities, significantly boosting New York’s agricultural economy while building a more resilient food supply chain.
