Zooey Deschanel may be best known for her quirky roles on screen, but off-screen, she’s cultivating something a little greener—without claiming a green thumb.
Zooey Deschanel may be best known for her quirky roles on screen, but off-screen, she’s cultivating something a little greener—without claiming a green thumb. Alongside her ex-husband and business partner Jacob Pechenik, Deschanel co-founded Lettuce Grow, a hydroponic vertical garden system that makes growing your own fruits, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers easy—even for those who’ve never gardened before.
With a focus on accessibility, Lettuce Grow aims to change the way people think about food and health. While the technology behind hydroponics might sound complex, the mission is simple: empower more people to grow fresh, clean produce at home. Deschanel, despite not considering herself a gardening expert, saw the need for a solution that made fresh food both convenient and sustainable. “People assume that because I co-founded Lettuce Grow, I love to garden,” she jokes. “But the whole point is that you don’t have to.”
The idea took root after the pair became parents and started re-evaluating their eating habits. Pechenik recalls how hard it was to access truly fresh, unprocessed food at a reasonable cost. That frustration led to their first project, The Farm Project, which sought to tackle inefficiencies in the food system. They realized the challenge wasn’t just growing food—it was the entire process of getting it from the farm to people’s plates.
Produce begins to lose its freshness almost immediately after harvest. By the time leafy greens travel from farm to grocery store shelves, up to half are lost due to spoilage. This not only wastes food but also contributes to higher carbon emissions, water waste, and chemical runoff. The duo realized that empowering individuals to grow at home could bypass these systemic problems.
So they created a product that could make growing food feel like second nature. Lettuce Grow's latest innovation, the Counterstand, fits right on a kitchen countertop or patio. It’s compact, stylish, and incredibly user-friendly—ideal for people who don’t have time, space, or experience. “We wanted to take the guesswork out of it,” Deschanel says. “If someone says they don’t have time, we tell them it takes five minutes a week. If they say they don’t know how, we show them exactly what to do.”
The Counterstand is designed with ease and sustainability in mind. Users can harvest as needed—trimming basil, lettuce, or scallions straight from the plant—reducing waste and making fresh ingredients more practical for individuals or small households. It’s a lifestyle shift packaged in a sleek growing system.
Recognizing the importance of accessibility, Lettuce Grow recently partnered with Costco to bring the Counterstand and the FarmStand Nook to more consumers. “Costco is the largest seller of organic produce in the U.S.,” Pechenik explains. “We’re thrilled to be working with them—it’s the perfect partnership to scale our mission.”
For Deschanel, this business venture feels deeply personal. Unlike acting, where she steps into someone else’s character, Lettuce Grow lets her fully embody her own values. “This is one of those roles that reflects who I am,” she says. “I care about sustainability, health, and helping people live better lives.”
Though she might not be the typical face of urban farming, Deschanel is proving that innovation, health, and environmental change can come from unexpected places. Whether it's on a Hollywood set or in someone’s kitchen, she's helping people reimagine what it means to nourish themselves—and the planet.
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