S5E54: Innovation, Supply Chain and Expanding Beyond Leafy Greens with John Purcell

Episode Summary

President and CEO of Unfold, Dr. John Purcell returns to the show to discuss the progress he’s made helping improve efficiencies within the indoor agriculture community. John speaks to his desire to branch out beyond leafy greens, tomatoes and cucumbers to other crops and talks about the recent launch of their Innovation Partner Program.

John discusses the various challenges facing the vertical farming industry, how he approaches strategically growing a team, and what the next year holds for Unfold.

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Key Takeaways

03:41 – Harry welcomes back to the show CEO of Unfold, John Purcell, to discuss ongoing Vertical Farming conferences, supply chain and growing a team strategically 

14:33 – The product mix at Unfold 

18:29 – Identifying the ideal strategic partner 

22:12 – The evolution of breeding programs in vertical farming 

24:26 – Overcoming challenges of supply chain, food deserts, and access to local, fresh food 

34:12 – Innovations that are happening in the vertical farming industry 

44:10 – Exciting plans for Unfold

45:48 – A tough question John has asked himself recently and an ask he has for the audience 

51:11 – Harry thanks John for joining the show and lets listeners know where they can learn more about the work he’s doing at Unfold 

Tweetable Quotes

“I think for Vertical Farming to really realize its full potential , we have to be seen as part of the supply chain. We have to be seen as part of where produce is heading, an important part rather than just this island out there that has really cool tech.” (10:19) (John) 

“What we’re most interested in is companies that can generate data, do the testing and trialing, and then provide that on the performance of our specific genetic packages that we’re providing.” (20:23) (John) 

“It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, whether it’s urban areas or mega cities, people want fresh, local, great quality produce. And they want it produced near to where they’re consuming it. So that’s holding now everywhere in the world.” (25:25) (John) 

“One of the things I was taught early on when I went into the vegetable side of the business was don’t talk about taste, talk about sensory experience. Because the fact is, the way that we perceive an eating experience goes well beyond taste. It’s how it feels in your mouth. It’s even the sound. Is the crunch, right? It’s the color. It’s the appearance.” (32:04) (John) 

Resources Mentioned

Vertical Farming Show – https://verticalfarmingshow.com/ 

Unfold Website – https://unfold.ag/

Unfold Twitter – https://twitter.com/unfold_ag

Unfold LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/unfold-ag/

John’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jppurcell/

Sponsor Info

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Cultivatd’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cultivatdco/

Cultivatd’s Twitter – https://twitter.com/cultivatd

Cultivatd’s Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/cultivatd/

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Mentioned in this episode:

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report