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Malaia's Scrapbook
Scrapbook
Dec 2020
Malaia's Microgreens first began it's story in the Shed.
Leaky roof. Uneven floors. Somehow too hot AND too cold.
Nevertheless, this was where we first earned our Farmer's Certificate and the home to our very first crops.
May 2021
Our last photo with the shed as we began our move to our second location: Malaia's Garage.
Going from a 100sqft shed to a 400sqft Garage.
Not only that, a real building with 4 walls!
June 2021
The Garage was somehow worse.
Poor air flow and constant humidity lead to crop failures and a second learning curve.
Yet, we persevered and made it into some of the best Farmer's Markets in LA.
Santa Monica, Brentwood, Calabasas.
Aug 2021
Then the unimaginable happened.
The HOA got notice of our small business and the landlord left us with two options.
Stop the business or get evicted.
So we were forced to pack our business into a storage unit with an uncertain future.
April 2022
We needed a fresh start.
After much deliberation, we decided to work with the SBDC and make a plan for the future.
Through support from family and friends, we took the leap to secure a business loan and landed our first commercial location in Irvine.
We were officially back in business!
Nov 2022
By this time we were finally ready to start growing!
Construction was all wrapped up, the hydroponic watering was getting figured out, and we were finally getting clients again.
And as the stars aligned, our work became featured in the LA Times, OC Register, Irvine Standard, Spectrum News, and more!
May-Sept 2022
But the hard part was far from over.
Now began the construction.
We demolished rooms, painted walls, tore up the floor, laid epoxy, rebuilt the drop ceiling, and a million other things.
Here is a photo of Jaebin's Dad patching drywall.
2023
2023 was a year of hard work and steady growth.
We slowly grew our team, gained more clients, and developed our reputation as a premier microgreen supplier.
Toward the end of the year, we applied for a new grant that was the first of its kind. One specifically designed for urban-ag.
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