Grower Success Stories: Rocket Farms is zooming
Rocket Farms began more than 70 years ago as a family-owned farming operation along California’s central coast. Rooted in agriculture and innovation, the company was formed with a simple mission: to grow quality plants with care.
“Over time, we evolved from traditional farming into one of the most diverse and design-forward growers in the U.S., offering everything from culinary herbs to premium seasonal floral programs,” said Jon Gutierrez, senior marketing manager for the Half Moon Bay, California-based company.
Rocket Farms’ greenhouse operations are owned by Monterey Peninsula Horticulture (MPH), with Charles Kosmont serving as CEO.
“We believe great products start with great partnerships — from the way we treat our plants to how we work with our customers,” Gutierrez said. “Our philosophy is to marry growing expertise with consumer insight, helping retailers succeed while making it easier for shoppers to bring more beauty and wellness into their lives.”
INCREASING IN SCALE
The company started with a handful of greenhouses but has grown to become a vertically integrated grower with robust R&D, in-house design and nationwide distribution from approximately 7.5 million square feet of greenhouse space.
“Our business now blends traditional horticultural expertise with modern merchandising and consumer trends, which has allowed us to move beyond commodity plants into branded, retail-ready programs,” Gutierrez said. “Rocket Farms has steadily grown our production footprint to accommodate both seasonal surges and long-term growth in demand.”
Today, its customers include big box retail, grocery chains, and specialty and independent retailers nationwide, and Rocket Farms is increasingly expanding its reach through direct-to-consumer channels.
“Our greenhouses stretch across multiple California locations, allowing us to meet year-round customer needs with consistency and scale,” Gutierrez said. “We constantly monitor consumer behavior, POS data and social trends.
Our design and marketing teams work closely with our retail partners to tailor programs that respond to evolving customer preferences — whether that’s edible gardening, self-care through plants or home decor styling. We also test concepts at our retail garden center and via online engagement before rolling out nationally.”
COMPANY STRENGTHS
One of Rocket Farms’ strengths is its proven ability to grow high-quality blooming plants at scale.
“From roses to hydrangeas, we’ve built a reputation for delivering vibrant, healthy blooms with consistent timing and quality, season after season,” Gutierrez said. “This horticultural expertise is the foundation of everything we do, allowing us to move quickly from product development to shelf.”
The in-house design and merchandising teams complement this approach and help deliver the programs that perform well at retail and align with emerging trends and customer expectations, he said. “Combined with our deep retail partnerships, this gives us an edge in today’s competitive marketplace.”
Another strength is the company’s experienced team, which spans hundreds of employees across growing, operations, sales and marketing.
Other key leaders include Steven Chan, vice president of strategy and supply, and Indiana Fischer, senior vice president of sales and marketing. Each brings decades of industry experience and a shared passion for plant innovation.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
Like much of the industry, Rocket Farms is navigating rising input costs, supply chain unpredictability and evolving consumer expectations.
“We’re addressing this through smarter forecasting, investments in automation, and innovation in packaging and merchandising that help differentiate our products at the shelf,” Gutierrez said.
In an effort to deal with the challenges of labor issues, the company has made targeted investments in automation, particularly in its potting and packing lines. “This has helped us reduce labor dependency, increase consistency and improve output efficiency — especially during peak seasons,” Gutierrez said. “We also use advanced inventory and forecasting software to streamline operations across facilities.”
SUSTAINABLE MINDSET
Sustainability is a central part of Rocket Farms’ operations. For instance, it utilizes closed-loop irrigation in many of its greenhouses.
Rocket Farms greenhouses are also equipped with advanced, industry-leading technology to better use natural resources through pressurized greenhouses that retain heat, create natural airflow movement and take advantage of incremental natural sunlight within the space.
“We also explore compostable or recyclable packaging solutions and are continually looking for ways to cut down on waste throughout our growing and production processes,” Gutierrez said. “Our goal is to grow beautiful products in a way that’s responsible to both people and the planet.”
LOOKING AHEAD
As it prepares for the future, Rocket Farms is focused on three key pillars: innovation, sustainability and brand storytelling.
“We want to lead the category not just in product availability but also in consumer relevance,” Gutierrez said. “That means refining our digital presence, expanding into new formats like e-commerce and subscription, and staying ahead of design and plant trends to create products people genuinely connect with.”
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