FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dr. Eric W. Stein Joins Produce Grower as New Columnist for “Vertical Thinking” — Pioneering the Business of Vertical Farming
Philadelphia, PA / August 5, 2025 – Dr. Eric W. Stein, Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, is the new “Vertical Thinking” columnist for Produce Grower magazine, beginning with the inaugural column published July 30, 2025 verticalfarmdaily.com+9producegrower.com+9producegrower.com+9.
In this new recurring series, Dr. Stein will dissect and interpret the business fundamentals of vertical farming—covering topics such as economic models, cost and profit structures, technology decisions, operations, scaling strategies, capital dynamics, leadership, and team-building.
Inaugural Issue
In his first installment, “Why vertical farming needs to grow up,” published July 30, 2025, Dr. Stein emphasizes the importance of strong business models, effective cost management, organizational maturity, and long-term profitability. He cautions that many vertical farms have stumbled due to overreliance on venture capital and insufficient focus on sustainable growth producegrower.com+3producegrower.com+3indooragcenter.org+3.
Dr. Stein commented, “Vertical farm companies need to grow up and act like real, sustainable organizations weaned from venture capital money.” producegrower.com+1Giecdn+1
This column will provide vertical farming entrepreneurs, executives, investors, and industry stakeholders with actionable insights on transforming indoor farming operations into efficient, profitable, and resilient businesses.
Background
Dr. Stein brings extensive academic and industry knowledge and experience. As Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture, he has advised on strategic planning, financial risk modeling, and operations assessment. He also has moderated high-profile panels—including “Not All Hope is Lost: Vertical Farming’s Future” at Indoor Ag‑Con 2025—where he distilled lessons from the rise and fall of key industry players and outlined critical success factors for resilience and growth (https://indooragcenter.org/hope-for-vertical-farming-future/).
Prior to joining Produce Grower, Dr. Stein built and operated his own applied-research vertical farm in Pennsylvania. There, crop yields, operating costs, and energy metrics are tracked in real time to test the economics of controlled-environment agriculture. Dr. Stein has taught graduate business school at Penn State for several years. producegrower.com+3ericwstein.com+3producegrower.com+3.
What to Expect in Future Columns
Deep dives into cost structures, margin analysis, and revenue optimization
Strategies for scaling operations from pilot modules to commercial facilities
Guidance on attracting capital that aligns with realistic ROI expectations
Real-world case studies highlighting failures—and recoveries—from vertical farming initiatives
Organizational development best practices, including leadership, talent, training, and culture
“Vertical farming holds great promise for urban resilience, water efficiency, and local food access,” Stein said. “But without sound business strategy and organizational strength, it won’t deliver on that promise.” washingtonpost.com
Produce Grower invites growers and stakeholders in controlled-environment agriculture to follow “Vertical Thinking” and engage with Dr. Stein’s business-focused perspective. Learn how to turn vertical farms from capital-intensive experiments into sustainable, profitable ventures.
Contact Information
- Produce Grower Media Relations
- Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture: team@indooragcenter.org
- Dr. Eric W. Stein, Ph.D., Executive Director, Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture and Associate Professor, Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate and Professional Studies
About Dr. Eric W. Stein
Dr. Stein holds a Ph.D. in Managerial Science from the Wharton School and a BA in Physics from Amherst College. He is Executive Director of the Center of Excellence for Indoor Agriculture and Associate Professor at Penn State. Dr. Stein has consulted extensively, operated an R&D vertical farm, exercised thought-leadership on the strategic and operational challenges of indoor farming, and authored numerous books and journal articles on business.
About Produce Grower
Produce Grower is a leading magazine and digital platform delivering business intelligence, industry research, and best practices for fresh produce growers, suppliers, and agribusiness professionals.
