Video: A glimpse of IGA's rooftop organic vegetable garden

An IGA supermarket in Montreal's Saint-Laurent has shortened the distance from farm to fork. Last month it officially unveiled a rooftop organic vegetable garden.

Richard Duchemin, co-owner of the IGA Extra Famille Duchemin, said his grocery was the first in Canada to sell produce that’s grown on its roof. About 35 types of produce are being grown in the 25,000-sq.-ft. rooftop garden — about half the total roof area.

The produce has received organic certification from Ecocert Canada and is branded in-store with the logo “Frais du toit” (fresh from the roof) and tagline “Produits bios cultivés ici même” (organic produce grown right here).

Produce including kale, carrots, green beans, eggplant and spinach is being sold at the same price as other Quebec organic fare and is selling “very well,” Duchemin told Canadian Grocer in July.

Take a look...