When Jay Willmot learned that as much as 97 per cent of Canada’s leafy greens were imported, it birthed a notion that ended up creating a major home-grown lettuce producer.

The result was Haven Greens, which now produces approximately 12,000 pounds of lettuce daily at its five-acre, year-round King City, Ont. production greenhouse.

“My frustration with the lack of fresh, high-quality leafy greens available at local grocery stores, combined with a deep commitment to sustainability, sparked my next big idea,” Willmot, the founder and CEO of Haven Greens, told FoodNX in an email exchange.

The company — which now counts Costco Canada among its customers — operates a unique technology that is a new way to grow leafy vegetables.

“A custom mobile gully system automates crop movement from seeding to harvest, improving efficiency, consistency and reducing labour demands. A dedicated climate corridor – a Canadian first – manages airflow with precision to address microclimate challenges across the facility,” Willmot said.

It involves deploying “nano-bubble oxygenation and heat exchange to support stronger root development and more consistent yields” in its hydroponic system.

Industry-first process

As well, in what he calls a first in the industry, the Haven Greens automated process involves “custom-insulated germination boxes (to) create stable, optimal growing conditions.”

The firm was founded in 2022, and its first harvest was in March 2025. It has produced approximately two million pounds of lettuce since then, he said.

“The fully automated aspect of our greenhouse allows us to reach a unique level of control and growth optimization. Our touchless, climate-controlled system leverages numerous first-in-Canada technologies that allow us to deliver year-round consistency and freshness at scale.”

Haven Green’s product line includes baby green leaf, baby red and green leaf, baby spring mix and its Trillium Blend, which is found exclusively in Costco.

Roots in horse breeding

But Willmot hasn’t always been in the leafy greens business. His family has a long history in the horse industry, with thoroughbred breeding and racing operations since in 1967, and established Kinghaven Farms in King City.

His grandfather, Donald G. ‘Bud’ Willmot, began the business and its success is reflected in Kinghaven winning the Queen’s Plate on five occasions. This is reflected in its current name which “pays direct tribute to Kinghaven,” he said.

Willmot became involved in the business, but he eventually shifted its focus. “As the third generation to steward the family legacy, I began expanding and diversifying Kinghaven’s operations in the late 2000s, venturing into solar plant development, beekeeping, small-scale vegetable crops and sustainable agriculture.

"It was a natural evolution for my family, which has always believed in the land.”

It soon partnered with Green Automation in summer 2023, which Willmot described as a global leader in automated greenhouse development, and opened the new facility using the Finnish-based firm that “designs, develops, manufactures and markets fully automated NFT (nutrient film technique) growing systems for hydroponic leafy greens production,” according to its website.

The firm boasts over 30 years of experience providing automated growing systems.

“After extensive research, including exploring vertical farming, I pivoted to automated greenhouse technology, recognizing its superior ability to scale efficiently and deliver consistent, year-round yields,” he said.

The company also employs even more technology to increase output, according to Willmot. “Each gutter is equipped with RFID (radio-frequency identification) tracking, enabling end-to-end traceability throughout the production cycle,” and it uses “AI-driven climate control and automated seeding, harvesting, and packaging.”

Haven Greens also use sustainable practices such as low emissions, solar energy and 95 per cent less water versus crops grown in fields. It boasts a 99 per cent water reuse rate with capture, treatment and recycling operations, he said.

Success with wholesale giant

This ongoing delivery has yielded success recently with the move into Costco’s 42 Ontario stores and six in Atlantic Canada.

“Partnering with Costco marked an exciting milestone for us. Producing an exclusive blend for such a widely beloved retailer, especially within our initial launch year, was an honour,” Willmot said.

The Trillium Blend is a “medley of baby green leaf, baby red butter leaf, arugula, and mustard greens,” Willmot explained. Recently, it also introduced a baby green leaf into the U.S.-based wholesale giant’s Ontario and Atlantic Canada locations.

The company’s products are also available in Metro, Sobeys, Summerhill Market and Giant Tiger locations in Ontario.

Economic, production challenges for producers

While business is booming recently, it’s not without its challenges.

“On the cultivation side, disease pressure, specifically water-borne plant pathogens are evolving rapidly and popping up in places they haven’t been seen previously," Willmot said. "This is why we’re investing in cutting-edge treatment methods.”

Haven Greens, like other similar growers, must also navigate “global supply chain instability, tariffs, price hikes on consumables, and energy costs.”

Despite these potential hurdles, the company is not standing still in its quest for further growth.

“We currently operate across five acres, but we’re in the process of doubling our capacity to 10 acres, which will give us the space needed to ramp up production and meet increasing demand,” Willmot said.