University of Evansville's We Grow Aces! Initiative Completes First Harvest Delivery to Pangea Restaurant Group

Evansville, Ind. (06/08/2026) — The University of Evansville's We Grow Aces! initiative reached a significant milestone on June 6, completing its first harvest and delivering fresh produce to Pangea Restaurant Group. The delivery represents an important step in the program's efforts to support food sustainability, strengthen local food networks, and provide hands-on educational opportunities for students.

The harvest was planted on May 2, as part of the final presentation by the Spring 2026 ChangeLab and grown inside the University of Evansville's We Grow Aces hydroponic container farming system. The container was purchased with support from the Lilly Endowment "Youth Programs on Campus" grant and uses vertical growing towers in a controlled indoor environment. This allows crops to grow without soil while using significantly less water than traditional farming. By managing light, water, nutrients, and growing conditions inside the container, We Grow Aces can grow fresh greens and herbs year-round in a more sustainable, efficient, and local way.

The first delivery was to Pangea Kitchen and included Lettuce Divisor, Lettuce Caipira, Lettuce Liska, Cinnamon Basil, and Sorrel. Each crop was grown as part of We Grow Aces' early pilot efforts to test production, harvest quality, and community partnership opportunities. Stop in the week of June 8 to June 14 to see how Pangea's chefs are finding creative ways to use the fresh harvest!

Evolution of We Grow Aces

The Spring 2026 ChangeLab team was one of the largest groups ever, with 14 students tackling everything from budgeting and finance to marketing, logistics, and supply chain challenges. Following the conclusion of the spring semester, students Javad Dehghan and Neva Verbik continued their work throughout the summer by supervising plant production, monitoring system performance, and building community partnerships. Verbik has been involved with the concept since first proposing elements of the idea through the University of Evansville's High School Changemaker Challenge and has continued developing sustainable gardening initiatives through ChangeLab projects.

Together, they saw an opportunity to explore how innovative agriculture can help address challenges communities frequently face, including food insecurity, sustainability, and community health. We Grow Aces focuses on growing fresh, nutrient-rich produce locally while reducing dependence on long-distance food supply chains. The initiative also embraces the concept of Food as Medicine, showing how increased access to fresh produce can play an important role in wellness, prevention, and healthier communities.

This first delivery was completed in collaboration with Randy Hobson '88, owner of Pangea Restaurant Group and a 1988 graduate of the University of Evansville. Hobson attended the students' final presentation and was excited by the opportunity to source high-quality, locally grown specialty produce through a sustainable farming model.

"Since our inception over 10 years ago, Pangea Restaurant Group has aligned with a variety of local vendors utilizing alternative growing systems to produce cleaner and more consistent produce for our customers. This unique opportunity was a perfect way to engage with local entrepreneur Scott Massey and his Anu systems, along with University of Evansville students Javad and Neva. We look forward to working with the collective teams to develop hard-to-source ingredients from around the world that are the foundation for our restaurants," said Randy Hobson, owner of Pangea Restaurant Group.

As We Grow Aces looks to continue to expand, the project aims to build partnerships with restaurants, schools, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and community groups throughout the region. This fall, ChangeLab will be coached jointly by the Center for Innovation & Change and the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration's Logistics and Supply Chain program. We Grow Aces will focus on developing innovative solutions for future harvest distribution, including expansion within the Evansville Promise Neighborhood and increased integration with campus dining services and the campus salad bar.

For more information about We Grow Aces or to explore partnership opportunities, visit www.wegrowaces.com.

Media Attachments