Published on 07/30/2009 03:48pm by Bob Luder

Village Farms, an Eatontown, N.J.-based greenhouse grower, launched a new Web site July 30 the company hopes not only brings its retail customers behind the scenes of its operations but reaches consumers as well.

Helen Aquino, marketing manager for Village Farms, said the objective in accomplishing this was to incorporate more search engine optimization into the Web site.

“We want it to bring us to the forefront,” Aquino said. “We want to get Village Farms out there to our audience, which is retailers, but we want to get out to consumers as well, get them all the information about hydroponic technology.”

To do this, Village Farms updated many of the features of its old Web site, including:

• updated product guide photos with nutritional facts and packing specifications;
• information on Village Farms’ growers and seed varieties;
• clear facts on the company’s trademarked HydroPerfect growing methods;
• interactive map on greenhouse and distribution centers; and
• more recipes and consumer feedback form.

“From the contact form, we get e-mails every day from people asking how (Village Farms’) food is produced,” Aquino said. “Our intention was to make our message more transparent, more understandable.”

Aquino said to expect more changes in the Web site down the road.

“It’s not a static thing,” she said. “We look forward to more additions.”