2021 Year in Review: Christopher Grallert, President, Green City Growers

What was the biggest lesson you learned while working during the pandemic? The pandemic has revealed a swelling interest in distributed food production systems in both residential and commercial spaces. The demand for more local food systems is not going to diminish. Additionally, the importance of working together and growing together has never been stronger. What we can all accomplish when we join together is incredible.

How has your working environment changed over the last year? The current team at Green City Growers is a fully committed and passionate team. There is no room for ambivalence around what we do.

What are your predictions for your industry in 2022? We believe companies will continue to invest and place more importance in ESG, now that better ESG metrics are available. We anticipate a greater investment in urban agriculture installations in residential and commercial spaces, especially in spaces where people are returning to work, and a grounded, sustainable approach is expected.

What was your greatest professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2021? We installed a 1,100 s/f rooftop garden exhibit at the Boston Children’s Museum. The exhibit is an opportunity for children and visitors to learn about growing food and to explore different components of urban agriculture. This project involved a lot of collaboration, creativity, and passion—all during a particularly challenging time. We are very proud about what we all accomplished and excited for its opening in spring of 2022.

What is the best advice you have received, and who was it from? “Be yourself and follow your heart—it’s an under-estimated organ.” Use your head, do what you want to do, not what you think people want you to do. Be who you are, not who you think people want you to be. And most importantly, treat everyone with kindness.