163: Marc Oshima - Revolutionizing Farm-to-Table - Babylon Microfarms’ Vision

Ever wondered how indoor farming is revolutionizing the way we connect with our food? I sat down with Marc Oshima, CEO of Babylon Microfarms, to explore the cutting edge of sustainable agriculture.Marc Oshima brings over 30 years of experience in driving large-scale commercial businesses, including co-founding AeroFarms. Now at the helm of Babylon Microfarms, he's spearheading innovative solutions in B2B indoor farming across healthcare, corporate dining, hospitality, and education sectors.In this episode, we dive deep into how Babylon Microfarms is bringing the farm directly to customers, fostering a greater connection between people and their food. Marc shares insights on the company's success in increasing leafy green consumption by 35% in senior care facilities and their expansion to over 350 farms across five countries.We also discuss the evolution of the indoor farming industry, the importance of customer feedback, and how Babylon Microfarms is preserving cultural heritage through locally grown, culturally relevant produce. Marc offers valuable lessons on business fundamentals and the power of focus in scaling a successful AgTech company. Ready to discover how indoor farming is reshaping our relationship with food and transforming industries? Tune in to this episode for a fascinating glimpse into the future of sustainable agriculture.Thanks to Our SponsorsCEA Summit East - https://indoor.ag/cea-summit-east-2025/Indoor AgCon - https://indoor.ag/Key Takeaways5:07 Babylon Microfarms' focus on key verticals10:40 Surprising installations and high-profile customers 16:19 Lessons from early industry struggles21:53 Listening to customers and adapting strategies27:17 Workforce development in indoor farming33:40 Cultural connections through locally grown food37:18 CEA Alliance's role in industry advocacyTweetable Quotes"We're seeing amazing use cases that we might not even have thought about. We were at this conference last week, and this fantastic operator chef was telling us how they've got the mint planted for the mint juleps for Kentucky Derby next week, and then they have the cilantro already planted and ready for Cinco de Mayo.""Understanding what business you're in, understanding the economics of your business, and appreciating how your technology can uniquely solve some of these challenges. I think that's core when you think about what's worked, what hasn't worked.""We have units cruising the world on cruise ships, literally cruising on cruise ships. It gives you a sense of the autonomy, the self-autonomous aspect and how resilient the farming approach is."Resources MentionedWebsite - https://babylonmicrofarms.com/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcoshima/Connect With UsVFP LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/verticalfarmingpodcastVFP Twitter - https://twitter.com/VerticalFarmPodVFP Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/VFP Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VerticalFarmPodSubscribe to our newsletters!AgTech Digest - https://agtechdigest.comThe Indoor Farmer - https://www.indoorverticalfarm.com/Horti-Gen Insights - https://www.hortigeninsights.com/🎙️🎙️🎙️Podcast Production and Marketing by FullCastDiscover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/Mentioned in this episode:2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews2025 Precision Ag Report