BUSINESS PROFILES

Backyard Farms

131 River Road
Madison, ME 04950
207-696-5300
www.backyardbeauties.com

The largest commercial greenhouse in New England resides in Madison, Maine. Backyard Farms grows and sells fully vine-ripened tomatoes to supermarkets throughout New England from its state-of-the-art facility on the River Road.

Paul Sellew*, the company’s CEO, says the company uses a unique business model to differentiate their tomatoes from the competition. Sellew, who hails from a New England farm family, decided he needed an equally unique place to locate his company in order to make his dreams a reality.

“We’re trying to do something that’s never been done before,” Sellew says. “Many greenhouses pick their tomatoes before they fully ripen and then ship them to markets across the country or overseas. We’ll keep our tomatoes on the vine until they’re fully ripe, pick them, and get them to our customers within hours. Fully vine-ripened tomatoes taste best. Madison’s close proximity to New England markets is a key competitive advantage, enabling us to deliver our customers a fresher, tastier, healthier product that’s also better for the planet since we won’t be trucking or flying it thousands of miles.”

Sellew and Backyard Farms officials had their eyes on the state of Maine because of its central location to their target markets, cooler climate, tax incentives created by Governor John Baldacci’s Pine Tree Development Zone program, and other support for new and expanding businesses such as the Governor’s Training Initiative and Maine Quality Centers. When they began to investigate sites in Maine, Madison stood out because of its low electricity rates, available labor force, and the cooperation showed by municipal officials and Madison Business Gateway (MBG) Committee members.

“Madison was ready to do business from the beginning,” Sellew said. “When we first visited MBG, we liked the town but needed more land than the park had to offer. The MBG team worked with us to help find another site. Madison Electric Works structured a very competitive electric rate for us that allowed us to locate in Madison. Since they are a municipally-owned utility, we’ve been able to form a business partnership with them to help Backyard Farms grow.”

Backyard Farms needed a favorable energy rate because of the advanced, environmentally-friendly technology it will use to grow tomatoes year-round in Maine. Grow lights and thermal blanketing enable it to grow tomatoes during all four seasons.

A planned on-site biomass plant (scheduled for 2008) will provide an additional carbon-neutral energy source, and the advanced water recycling system will maximize irrigation efficiency. Backyard Farms will use bumblebees to pollinate the plants, and natural biological agents in place of chemical pesticides.

Sellew believed in Madison enough to make a major investment in the community. In its first phase, Backyard Farms will invest more than $20 million in Madison and will create over 60 year-round jobs with benefits. If all goes well, Sellew hopes to expand the greenhouse facilities from 24 to 100 acres and employ up to 300 workers. The company also wants to expand its product line in the future to include other vegetables such as peppers and cucumbers.

Backyard Farms hopes the creation and expansion of its business will spur other complementary economic activity in the area. For example, Sellew says he would welcome a food processing company that would turn some of his tomatoes into salsa, tomato sauce, or catsup.

“Everyone in Madison has rolled out the red carpet for us,” Sellew says. “It has definite business and quality of life advantages. If someone calls me and asks if moving to Madison is a good idea, I will tell them without hesitation that the answer is yes.”

Photo Caption: The Backyard Farms Executive Team - L to R: Wayne Davis, Executive VP; Arie Vandergiessen, COO; and Paul Sellew, CEO - meet with Norman Dean, Madison Town Manager and Madison Business Gateway Committee Chair.

* The company appointed a new president and CEO, Roy Lubetkin, in December 2007. Sellew remains an integral part of the company by serving on the management committee for Backyard Farms.