This interview is part of the cover feature from the BizTimes Milwaukee 30th anniversary issue, published March 17, 2025. For more information and to see interviews from other southeastern Wisconsin leaders, visit biztimes.com/30-people.
Chris Corkery
CEO
Hundred Acre | Milwaukee
Age: 42
A career journey that started in corporate advertising and shifted to professional cooking ultimately led Chris Corkery to found Hundred Acre, a 5,000-square-foot indoor urban farm that produces salad greens and basil for a growing base of restaurant and retail clients. While working as a chef in New York City, Corkery interfaced with many local farmers and developed an interest in the role of agriculture in food systems. He opened Hundred Acre in 2021 on Milwaukee’s northwest side with a mission to address food insecurity and build a more sustainable supply chain for food businesses across Wisconsin.
What would you like to see change in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin over the next 30 years?
“I'm three years new to Milwaukee as a transplant from NYC, so I'm not sure I've earned a right to say what should change. But coming from the largest melting pot in the U.S. to a city nicknamed ‘small-waukee,’ I hope we continue to see a ramp up in progressive developments, cultural exchange and economic growth. Milwaukee may seem quaint out of the gate, but there is a growing movement of incredible ideas and big actions just beneath the surface. A lack of fostering all this potential is my concern, so we must nurture to accelerate. Ideas are like seeds, slow to grow in the beginning and some just don't make it. But those that do see exponential growth with the proper care and resources. Embrace the risk. Take the chance. Invest to reinvest! We can usher in bigger and bolder ideas to elevate Milwaukee above and beyond that surface.”
What do you hope to accomplish in your career over the next 30 years?
“Hundred Acre launched in Milwaukee. Our farm is rooted in this city.
“We have a slogan at the farm, ‘think global, eat local,’ so our vision is twofold: build out a network of inner city farms to support a sustainable food system while we remain intimately connected to the needs of each community we serve. That's our north star.
“We have established the start of a new resilient ecosystem in the food space. It's not a matter of what I hope to accomplish, but rather what we can get done together by adding to this ecosystem. One hand feeds the other in our model, which is incredibly fulfilling. We hope to bring as many people along for the ride as we drive social impact across the nation. That's what the next 30 years look like to us.
What would be your pitch to the next generation to encourage them to make Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin home for the next 30 years?
“Milwaukee is not only a city with tremendous potential but is at the start of an exciting new growth phase to realize that potential. Come join us in that journey. And we will welcome you!”
