When people talk about vertical farms, the conversation usually focuses on technology, yields, and profitability. CW Group from New Britain, Connecticut decided to put a completely different value at the center — and since November 2025, their indoor farm has been fully operational.
Who, What, and Why
CW Group is a non-profit organization with a long-standing mission: to provide employment and training for people with disabilities. To fund the program, they transformed unused space in their facility into 4,500 square feet of vertical indoor farming — in partnership with Canadian company Just Vertical.
The farm includes 400 shelving units with nearly 80,000 planting sites. Around 15 people with disabilities currently work there — some in permanent positions, others on a rotating schedule. They grow Danstar lettuce variety from BASF Nunhems.
Where the Harvest Goes
The main buyer is distributor Sysco, which purchases produce at market prices. The surplus goes into CW Group’s own social programs, including a Meals on Wheels food delivery service.
Just Vertical’s Technology Model
Just Vertical chose an unconventional path: instead of building their own farms, they develop the technology and license it to independent producers. “This project proved that the vendor model of indoor farming can scale successfully,” says the company’s marketing director. The system is designed to be as intuitive as possible — so that people without specialized agronomic training can work with it.
Why This Case Matters Beyond the US
In Ukraine, the topic of employment for veterans and people with disabilities is becoming increasingly relevant in the context of post-war reconstruction. Indoor farming is one of the few sectors where physical limitations are not a critical barrier to participation, and where technology allows processes to be standardized to minimal complexity. This model deserves attention not only as agtech, but as a tool for social reintegration.
