Advancements In Automated Commercial Scale Vertical Farming

Growing produce automated or nearly automated and in any possible location are some of the advantages often supplied by the vertical farming industry. The Canadian company CubicFarms shows how also traditional greenhouse companies can benefit from indoor farming techniques.

DelFresco Pure recently chose CubicFarm Systems to grow leafy greens alongside their greenhouse production of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries.

CubicFarms has a background in greenhouse horticulture. The British Columbia, Canada based company has developed a indoor growing system based on a conveyer rotation method, allowing indoor farming to become scalable. It is quite a mouthful, but they explain their produce to be grown safe, sustainable and self-sufficient, cost-effective and on commercial scale.

Currently CubicFarms Systems Corp. is expanding and growing with both sales of systems, and sales of produce grown in CubicFarms.

CubicFarm installation in full swing in Pitt Meadows, BC
This summer, CubicFarms finished construction of their first full-scale, completely operational, 11 machine CubicFarm System in Pitt Meadows, BC.

"With the capacity to grow over 1.5 million of heads of lettuce, or over 9 million basil plants, or over 150,000 pounds of microgreens each year, or any combination thereof, we quickly became one of the largest producers of living lettuce, herbs, and microgreens in Canada", they explain.

Plans are already in place to expand the site by 10 fold over the next 12 months.

CubicFarms in Ontario, Canada
CubicFarms recently exhibited at the PMA 2018 show in Florida with its newest customer, DelFresco Pure, of Leamington, Ontario.

DelFresco Pure recently chose CubicFarm Systems to grow leafy greens alongside their greenhouse production of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and strawberries. "Our system will allow DelFresco Pure to bring additional produce into their local market without disturbing their current greenhouse operations. Installation has begun and are expected to be completed by the end of January, 2019."

A mini demonstration CubicFarm growing machine was built to display in DelFresco’s huge booth at the Orlando PMA. Strawberry Sundaes with CubicFarm growing micro basil was the big flavour hit at the show.

CubicFarms in Central Alberta
CubicFarms has also recently partnered with Swiss Leaf Farms near Edmonton, Alberta. Swiss Leaf chose CubicFarms’ automated growing machines to bring local, fresh leafy greens to central Alberta.

"The machines have just been installed and will commence growing in December. Swiss Leaf will be utilising CubicFarm’s “Thriiv Local Garden” produce brand to market and sell living lettuce, herbs and microgreens."

Thriiv Local Garden

And there's more. CubicFarms' launched their lettuce, basil and microgreens into Fresh Street Market stores in October, under their proprietary “Thriiv Local Produce” brand.

"We received positive responses from customers enjoying the freshest possible produce. Their living lettuce heads are available in 3 different blends (Springtime Trio, Butter Blend and Merlot Medley) and are sold in their proprietary packaging that allows lettuce to stay alive and fresh on the windowsill or in the fridge for weeks", they explain.

The microgreens have a variety of blends, including the spicy “Fire and Ice” and “Chef’s Blend”.