Photo: BlackBusiness.com
Meet Derek Drake, the founder and CEO of Ditto Foods, a Black-owned hydroponic farming company located in south suburban Chicago.
Inside his 18-wheeler semi-trailer truck, he grows organic lettuce, kale, collard greens, herbs, and root vegetables and sells them to wholesalers and local restaurants that feature farm-to-table menus.
Derek was born and raised in Ford Heights, Illinois, and as a child, he helped his grandmother plow and sow in the family garden learning the ropes of traditional farming. This is where his love for fresh-grown food was birthed.
After completing his bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Derek spent several years traveling throughout Asia where he developed a passion for exotic herbs and other freshly grown ingredients. After nearly 25 years in the hospitality industry, as a result of the pandemic, Derek lost his job, and he began to sow a new dream, and Ditto Foods was born.
