Lucy Sherriff Contributor 

Entrepreneurs

Journalist covering social business and environment

Food technology and vertical farming are both growing markets. In 2018, vertical farming was worth $3bn globally and it is predicted to grow to $22bn between 2019 and 2026.

British-based husband and wife team Jamie and Marie Burrows founded Vertical Future with aims of being “the largest urban vertical farming company in the UK”.

“We produce high-quality, sustainable produce, primarily baby leaf vegetables and herbs, as well as developing efficient and sustainable methods of food production and supply,” explains Jamie.

The company has one active production site which has been operational for three years and services more than 100 food establishments in London.

“We’re focused on improving population health by building better, smarter, more sustainable food production and supply systems,” says Jamie. “Advancements in basic technologies associated with vertical farms have improved the business case for vertical farming businesses.”

Jamie says this, combined with increases in population and urban population density, has led to a “steep rise” in the number of vertical farming businesses, primarily in urban areas.

There were no vertical farms as recently as 2010; as of 2016, there were 2.3 million square feet of indoor farms worldwide.