Governor Hochul Celebrates Completion of $45 Million New York State Regional Food Hub in the Bronx

Hunts Point-Based Food Hub Will Improve Access to Healthy Foods for Underserved Populations

First-of-Its-Kind Facility Will Increase Food Distribution by 600 Percent, Creating Jobs and Supporting Local Agriculture

60,000 Square-Foot Cold Storage Facility Connects Upstate Farms to Downstate Markets

Governor Kathy Hochul today 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. 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 percent 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 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,” Governor 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.”

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. The facility will serve wholesale buyers including institutions and restaurants while strengthening innovative partnerships with nonprofit organizations. Building on GrowNYC's current work distributing free produce through 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 expanded Hub will significantly scale these vital food access efforts. Additional funding was provided by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York City Council, U.S. Economic Development Administration, Bank of America, and others.

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, the Hub will support New York State farmers — particularly small- and mid-sized operations — while increasing food distribution capacity and enhancing access to New York City's wholesale marketplace. The processing facility will assist upstate producers and processors in targeting institutional and private sector procurement opportunities, offering a significant boost to New York's agricultural economy while building a more resilient food supply chain.

 The New York State Regional Food Hub was first developed as the result of the New York State-New York City Regional Food Hubs Task Force, which created a roadmap to build a Regional Food Hub System. The goal was to enhance the connection between upstate food producers and the downstate market, increase access to fresh food for underserved populations, boost in-state food production and consumption, and create new job opportunities in the growing sector of food manufacturing. As a high priority in the task force's final action plan, this facility now serves as a national model for creating sustainable, self-sufficient food systems that safeguard local food supplies.