About The Plant

— MISSION & VISION —

The Plant is a research and production facility comprising a collaborative community of small food businesses.

A repurposed industrial meatpacking facility, The Plant now serves as a living laboratory that demonstrates techniques for reimagining waste as a resource, achieving economies of scale and incubating small businesses. The goal of The Plant is to create replicable models for efficiencies that close loops of waste and energy and to encourage others to implement these techniques to combat climate change.

— HISTORY —

In 2010, Bubbly Dynamics acquired the former Peer Foods meatpacking plant in the Back of the Yards neighborhood of Chicago. The building was described by the real estate broker as a “strip and rip”, anticipating that the new owner would strip out the stainless steel, copper and anything else of value and “rip” down the building. But Bubbly Dynamics saw tremendous value in this USDA-grade facility and envisioned reusing the structure to incubate food and farming businesses, which would bring much-needed jobs back to a disinvested community in a “food desert” lacking healthy food options.

Now called The Plant, this 100,000 sq. ft. facility is a collaborative community of small food businesses committed to material reuse and closed-loop systems. The Plant currently houses more than twenty small businesses, including indoor and outdoor farms, kombucha and beer breweries, a bakery, a cheese distributor, a coffee roaster and other emerging food producers and distributors. 

As of early 2023, there were approximately 95 full-time employee equivalent positions based at the facility. Build-out at The Plant is substantially complete, though expansion is slated for later this year — stay tuned!

— ABOUT BUBBLY DYNAMICS —

The Plant is owned and operated by Bubbly Dynamics LLC, which directs the design and build-out of tenant spaces, common areas, and infrastructure projects to maximize efficiencies of the building and site. Founded in 2002 by John Edel, Bubbly Dynamics is a social enterprise whose mission is to create replicable models for ecologically responsible and sustainable urban industrial development. Bubbly Dynamics’ first building, located at 1048 W. 37th St. and simply known as “Bubbly,” was renovated based on these principles and has been home to tenants involved in a variety of light-industrial uses. The Plant takes the concept further by demonstrating the benefits of closing loops of waste and energy for food-producing businesses.

— FAQ —

What was The Plant Originally? 

Built in 1925, the building now known as The Plant functioned as a pork-processing facility for almost 85 years until Peer Foods moved out, leaving behind many of the functional basics. In 2010, Bubbly Dynamics purchased the facility and began building it out as a center for local food production, to maximize the benefit of the existing infrastructure and food-grade surfaces. 

To the extent possible, features of the original meatpacking facility were preserved, in accordance with Bubbly Dynamics’ philosophy of reimagining waste and abandoned resources as assets. In the build-out, waste-stream recycled materials have been re-used to the extent possible, and celebrated. 

What’s the Status of the Anaerobic Digester? 

The anaerobic digester is not processing any food waste yet. While the digester project has been on hold due to a financing gap, we have completed site work in preparation for the next steps and will recommence installation of equipment as research scales up to demonstrate support the development of the industrial-scale digester. Please see the case study on the digester in our Toolkit of resources.

The digester will be a key feature at The Plant, as it is designed to solve several critical issues by reusing what is conventionally considered “waste" while creating several valuable outputs. Waste from the building will be a fraction of the volume of waste processed by the digester, yet the digester will demonstrate that even food‐production businesses, which are typically waste and energy intensive, can operate sustainably by closing waste loops. 
 

Is The Plant a Net-Zero Energy Facility?

No. The initial plan was to generate electricity with a combined heat and power system fueled by biogas produced by the digester. The current, more straightforward and most cost-effective path is to use the biogas that will be produced by the digester for specific uses at The Plant (providing process heat for the digester, as well as fueling boilers, chillers, roasters and similar equipment), without the legal, regulatory and financial constraints that electricity generation would create. 

While we are not yet producing energy on site, we are committed to supporting the development and use of renewable energy sources. Bubbly Dynamics purchases Green e-certified renewable energy to match 100% of our buildings’ electricity usage.

“Where there is ruin, there is hope for treasure.”  - Rumi

Thanks to Plant alum Rumi Spice, a public benefit corporation founded by U.S. Army veterans who served in Afghanistan, for bringing this quote to our attention. Rumi Spice has created a market for Afghan saffron as an alternative to opium, and they are the largest employer of women in Afghanistan.