The Ontario-Grown Lettuce We Love Is Now At Costco 

We love a good salad here at Chatelaine. In fact, the only thing that could make us love a salad more—because, yes, you can win friends with salad!—is if it’s made from 100% Canadian produce. Unfortunately, Canada imports the vast majority of our lettuce, especially in fall and winter when it’s too cold to grow outside. 

What is Haven Greens?

A few companies are aiming to shake up Canada’s lettuce game. Haven Greens, located just north of Toronto in King City, Ont., is this country’s first fully automated greenhouse (humans pack the lettuce, but otherwise the operation is machine run). It had its first harvest in March, and can produce up to 4,500 kg of pesticide-free lettuce a day, year round.

What blend does it sell at Costco?

Its latest blend of lettuce, the Trillium blend—named for Ontario’s provincial flower—just launched exclusively at Ontario Costcos, for $6 for 283 g. I was eager to try out a box of the baby green leaf, baby red butter leaf, arugula and mustard greens mix. (Another Chatelaine editor is already a Haven fan, so much so she makes a special trip to the grocery stores that stock it. She praises its crunch, and the fact it doesn’t go limp or soggy like some other packaged greens.) 

What does the Trillium blend taste like?

I agree with my colleague’s assessment—this was some fresh tasting lettuce, with a pleasing mix of textures and gentle, child-friendly flavour. (My only criticism: packaging: I wish someone could invent a way to package lettuce that didn’t require a giant plastic clamshell!)

How can you serve the Trillium blend? 

I tested it out one weeknight last week, when I got home from work with half an hour to get dinner on the table before hockey practice. I unpeeled the resealable packaging and threw the lettuce into a bowl (you don’t need to wash it). While I was chopping some veggies, I toasted walnuts in the microwave, then topped the salad with a package of smoked trout. Dinner was on the table in about 10 minutes, and my kids said—unprompted!—“this is a great salad.” (I served it with this salad dressing, another editor favourite.)  

How long does it last?

The other cool thing about this lettuce is its long shelf life—depending on storage, it can last for several weeks, whereas field-grown options tend to have a shorter lifespan. The company chalks this up to the fact it’s grown so close to home—unlike American greens, it doesn’t have a long travel time—under optimized greenhouse conditions.

How is Haven Greens hoping to reach net-zero by 2027?

Permit me to indulge my eco nerdery! The long lifespan of Haven’s greens is a big bonus, because it helps reduce food waste, a big contributor to carbon emissions. But Haven has also taken steps to reduce the emissions involved in producing its lettuce, installing solar panels in the greenhouse with the intent to eventually power up to 100% of the greenhouse’s electricity. It is also aiming to capture and reuse 99% of the water used in the greenhouse, and collect rainwater or melted snow to water plants. 

Where else can you buy or try Haven Greens? 

We’re not the only Haven fans—Mandy’s, the Montreal-founded gourmet salad chain, chose Haven as their lettuce supplier earlier this year. 

And, while this blend is the brand's only offering at Costco, you can find Haven Greens in two sizes (113 g and 226 g) of their other blends—baby green leaf, baby red and green leaf, and baby spring mix—in other retailers.

Where to find Haven Greens in Ontario

• Costco (Trillium Blend only)
• Whole Foods
• Sobey’s
• Metro
• Foodland
• Giant Tiger

Where to find Haven Greens in Alberta

• All Calgary Co-Op stores

While this blend is just in Ontario so far, Haven says it’s “actively expanding its availability across Canada,” so if you’d like to check out its lettuce keep an eye on its store locator.