Agtech Company AppHarvest Has Secured A $91m Financing Arrangement With Sustainably-Focused Investment Firm Equilibrium Capital To Fuel The Future Construction of 12 High-Tech Indoor Farms by 2025

By Mary Ellen Shoup

July 27, 2021

Agtech company AppHarvest has secured a $91m financing arrangement with sustainably-focused investment firm Equilibrium Capital to fuel the future construction of 12 high-tech indoor farms by 2025.

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AppHarvest Taps Amazon Veteran Mark Keller To Operationalize AI-Informed Farm Operating System

July 26, 2021

Keller joins the AppHarvest technology group as SVP, Software Applications Platform, with a proven track record of building AWS services and high-performing teams

AgTech leader AppHarvest (NASDAQ: APPH, APPHW), a public benefit company and certified B Corporation focused on farming more sustainably using 90% less water than open-field agriculture and only recycled rainwater, has named Amazon veteran Mark Keller as its SVP, Software Applications Platform. Keller joins the AppHarvest technology group as it works to operationalize its Project TalOS platform to make fresh fruit and vegetable production as reliable as consumer goods manufacturing.

To create the Farm of the Future, AppHarvest is investing in robotics, artificial intelligence, tele-operation, and proprietary seed genetics. With robots roving through the facility alongside the company’s human labor force, interacting with and caring for the crops, the company will be collecting data continuously on plant production to feed into AI and then using software to align facility operations with sales and logistics.

“We are massively expanding our team to build out our digital operating model for farming, which has AI at its core that can manage a global network of facilities and effortlessly execute complex supply chain strategies intelligently and autonomously,” said Josh Lessing, AppHarvest chief technology officer. “Adding an industry veteran like Mark will be a true game-changer for this growth phase of our business, and his strong, people-centric leadership skills will be a key enabler for the AppHarvest technology group.”

Keller has a proven record spanning more than 25 years of turning ideas into full-featured technology solutions, such as launching Amazon’s first four large-scale Kiva robotics sortable warehouses and the PrimeNow Warehouse Management Software used to run the company’s one-hour fulfillment centers.

“The Holy Grail in agriculture is predicting and managing yield and quality,” said AppHarvest founder and CEO Jonathan Webb. “Having Mark join will accelerate our efforts as we train our intelligent robot, Virgo, to harvest multiple crops—ranging from tomatoes and cucumbers to more delicate fruits such as strawberries—as we move toward more AI-informed growing. These insights collected and analyzed, then fed into AI, will be the true game-changer for us since every piece of fruit is an outcome that resulted from the many variables in the growing process.”

“Two of the most pressing global concerns are water scarcity and creating resilient food supply, and AppHarvest is solving for both,” said Keller. “As a father of four, I want to leave a strong legacy for my children and leverage technology for good. The foundation AppHarvest is building will give controlled environment agriculture the opportunity to restructure the food landscape to mirror the hyper-efficient e-commerce landscape.”

Keller is a Hispanic Gulf-War veteran who brings a unique perspective to employee engagement programs being an early driver of the Amazon Warriors veterans employee group and having participated in the Latinos @ Amazon employee group. Keller also was an early adopter of the Military Apprentice Software Development Engineer program to improve diversity hiring in technology, which he expects to continue at AppHarvest.

About AppHarvest

AppHarvest is an applied technology company in Appalachia developing and operating some of the world’s largest high-tech indoor farms, designed to grow non-GMO, chemical pesticide-free produce, using up to 90 percent less water than open-field agriculture and only recycled rainwater while producing yields up to 30 times that of traditional agriculture on the same amount of land without agricultural runoff. The company combines conventional agricultural techniques with cutting-edge technology including artificial intelligence and robotics to improve access for all to nutritious food, farming more sustainably, building a domestic food supply, and increasing investment in Appalachia. The company’s 60-acre Morehead, Ky. facility is among the largest indoor farms in the U.S. For more information, visit https://www.appharvest.com/.

Grōv Technologies Signs Definitive Agreement With Superior Farms

July 12, 2021

Vineyard — Agtech and indoor farming company, Grōv Technologies, today announced a definitive agreement with California-based Superior Farms for the purchase of 10 Olympus Tower Farms that will produce fresh year-round feed for Superior’s upcoming Sheep Discovery Center™ in Central Utah. Grōv is part of Superior Farms’ efforts to dramatically improve the sustainability and growth of US lamb production.

The ten Olympus Tower Farms will produce 60,000 pounds of Grōv’s fresh High-Density Nutrient (HDN) Superfeed wheatgrass a day using less than 5 percent of the water needed for field-grown fodder, without the use of pesticides or herbicides.

The Sheep Discovery Center is a new venture of Superior Farms.  The goal of the Discovery Center is to showcase how sustainably focused science and technology can help farmers increase their flocks and consistently produce high-quality lamb.

“Our collaboration with Superior showcases how Grōv indoor ag technology can benefit farmers who want to improve production and sustainability, and minimize risk, especially as it relates to drought conditions that plague regions across the world,” says Steve Lindsley, president of Grōv Technologies. “The innovative thinking of Superior Farms is right in line with our efforts to provide feed security for animals and food security for growing populations.” 

Leveraging Grōv’s indoor Olympus Tower Farms to grow fresh HDN feed, Superior Farms intends to optimize nutrition and environmental conditions to help support animal health during the lambing cycle. Superior Farms will also implement Grōv’s seasonal lighting technology as part of Superior’s efforts to improve the productivity of their sheep and provide a more consistent lamb supply throughout the year. 

“The current Western U.S. megadrought is pushing farmers to ration their natural resources and find innovative ways to give their animals a more sustainable and nutrient-rich environment,” says Rick Stott, CEO of Superior Farms. “Feeding sheep with Grōv HDN opens up new opportunities for sheep farmers and gives them a way to overcome the water issues affecting their flocks.” 

During the Covid pandemic, more consumers tried lamb for the first time and continued to purchase it throughout the year.  The US lamb industry expects demand to keep rising as the number of new consumers who are more familiar with lamb continues to grow. 

For more information about Grōv Technologies please visit www.Grōvtech.com. 

About Grōv Technologies, LLC
Grōv Technologies is pioneering next-generation indoor agriculture technology and science to help meet the demand for global food and animal feed security. The company has developed enterprise-scale, automated controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems to grow high-density nutrient animal feed and other crops using significantly less water and resources than traditional farming. These systems utilize patented low-heat LED technology, seed-to-harvest robotics, and data-driven scientifically proven indoor growing protocols.  Grōv also operates an LED lighting and power management subsidiary, Stellar Smart Energy Solutions, using proprietary Wave Power Transformation and power management networking technology for commercial and agricultural facilities. Grōv is wholly owned by Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS), which develops and distributes a comprehensive line of premium-quality beauty and wellness solutions through a global network of sales leaders.

About Superior Farms
Superior Farms, the leading purveyor of sustainably raised, ranch-to-table American lamb. Proudly providing the highest quality natural lamb for a variety of recipes from weeknight dinners to Sunday brunch, lunches, and more, Superior Farms offers a range of premium cuts. From the mountains of Utah, the brisk winters of Minnesota, and the shores of California, Superior Farms prides itself on working exclusively with family ranchers who raise lambs with the best care and commitment to quality wellbeing and stable environment. Respecting a nutrient-rich land, maintaining a sustainable footprint, and working with dedicated family ranchers who raise flocks with the highest level of care, all are core values that make Superior Farms the leader in American lamb. From the plant floor to the corner office, Superior Farms is also proud to be 100 percent owned by its dedicated and talented employees. For more information, visit www.superiorfarms.com, order home delivery at www.superior-farms.com, or follow the brand on Instagram (@SuperiorFarms) and Facebook (@SuperiorFarms). 

LettUs Grow, GrowStack, Digital Farming & Farm Urban Collaborating To Deliver Four Social-Impact Vertical Farming Projects In Wales

Source: LettUs Grow

07/12/21

Four major UK vertical farming companies, LettUs Grow, Digital Farming, Farm Urban and GrowStack, are collaborating to bring the benefits of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to Welsh communities. This is one of the widest collaborations between leading CEA tech providers in the UK to date, with a focus on delivering vertical farms across different locations in Wales as part of a social impact and community-focused project called Crop Cycle.

Vertical farming, a way of growing crops indoors on stacked shelves, can be beneficial for people, plants and the planet. It allows growers to provide fresh, healthy produce to their local area 365 days of the year and can help to supplement outdoor growing. It diversifies our supply chains and boosts local food security. It also has a long stream of environmental benefits, such as using fewer resources including land or water, removing the use of chemical pesticides and reducing the need to transport food across seas. However, a common criticism of vertical farming is that it’s not always accessible or affordable to areas under-served by our food networks.

Crop Cycle is looking to bring the benefits of vertical farming directly to communities that could benefit most and is being funded by the Welsh Government through the Foundational Economy Challenge Fund. The project is being led by Social Farms and Gardens, supported by Welsh Government's NutriWales CEA Special Interest Group and BIC Innovation.

The project enables multiple different CEA systems to be tailored to fit different community settings, whilst also allowing them to be assessed in coordination across the pilot sites. This approach is unique, facilitating the testing of new socially focused business models, the engagement of the local communities and businesses with CEA and the development of new technical solutions. LettUs Grow, Digital Farming, GrowStack and Farm Urban are working together to share their specialisms and apply different technologies to where they are best suited within four sites in Wales, two of which are in the Valleys.

This project will introduce year-round food growing right into the heart of Welsh communities, where they’ll be connected to the particular dynamics of the local area. Activities will test new community-based engagement models, focusing on social well-being, local entrepreneurship and environmental impact. In this way, the project will be bringing together community, businesses and local public sector organisations.

Gary Mitchell, the Wales Manager for Social Farms and Gardens who is leading the project team stated, "we are excited to be running the pilot project across a diverse set of sites to gain insight and further knowledge into how new agricultural systems can successfully support communities in delivering local, fresh and nutritious foods as well as important social benefits in a sustainable manner."

Welcome To Our Woods

Welcome To Our Woods in Treherbert is nestled in the heart of the Rhondda Valleys, where LettUs Grow and GrowStack will be delivering an aeroponic and hydroponic vertical container farm. This proactive community group has been actively engaging with its communities through partnerships with the Green Valleys CIC and their joint ‘Skyline’ project. This partnership has led to several funding investments in the region, exploring community ownership of land and the benefits of allowing the community to utilise their surrounding natural green assets. 

Chris Nelson, director of GrowStack said: “Growstack are delighted to be working alongside LettUs Grow and Digital Farming as part of this important social enterprise. It is always fantastic to be part of a project that champions vertical farming and really shares in the values of what this approach to food production can offer, including the benefits to the local community. Working in partnership with innovative farming companies is always a pleasure, as together we can combine our expertise to deliver outstanding results.” 

Ian Thomas from Welcome To Our Woods said, “We are excited to be bringing such an innovative and progressive project to our local high street. We have already been engaging with the Upper Rhondda community to explore the projects that actively use our woodlands for the benefit of those they surround, and initiatives such as this help give local people an idea of what can be achieved."

Cultivate

Two linked sites will be in Newtown, one within the established community growing space attached to the Newtown Campus of the Neath Port Talbot College Group, and one within a new town centre ‘Circular Economy’ shop. The two CEA systems, provided by LettUs Grow and Digital Farming, are being integrated into an active college site and managed by a community group, with a cafe and kitchen, shop, deli and veg box scheme in place. The site is supported by Cultivate, which is a membership cooperative linking food and community. Cultivate aims to address many of the issues associated with the modern food system, and focus on creating sustainable local food solutions.

Charlie Guy, co-founder and CEO of LettUs Grow said this about the collaborations: “LettUs Grow is delighted to be working alongside these leaders of the UK vertical farming ecosystem and inspiring community projects. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were implemented the same year as our foundation and have never been far from our minds. SDG 17 ‘Partnerships for the Goals’ rings especially true for us. We believe a brighter future can only be realised with inclusive partnerships and strong cooperation, built on shared values and a vision which places people and the planet at its epicentre.”

 Greenmeadow Community Farm

Greenmeadow Community Farm in Cwmbran is being delivered by Digital Farming. It is one of only two ‘city farms’ in Wales and one which connects people to food and farming in a very public way. It is owned and operated by Torfaen County Borough Council, bringing with it a high-level partnership. The farm already welcomes thousands of visitors through its gates and connects locally through a number of schools and college partnerships – making it an ideal ‘showcase’ location for this pilot. Digital Farming were commissioned to deliver the Digital Farm in a container for pilot production of high nutrition greens and herbs. The system uses V-Farm patented growing systems linked to Digital Farming’s smart digital management system powered by solar PV.

Dr Gareth Jones, CEO of Digital Farming, said, “we were delighted to be awarded this project and have been enjoying working with the team at Social Farms and Gardens and Greenmeadow to bring together a new concept to explore the business of growing locally using controlled environment agriculture to enhance nutrition for communities.”  

Xplore! Science Discovery Centre

The final site is in Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, situated in the centre of Wrexham: a brand new science centre that will support the promotion of urban agriculture in north Wales’ largest urban area. The vertical farming system is provided by Farm Urban. It will reach out to all generations, showcasing new technology and modern horticulture methods, blended with traditional growing experience. Xplore! welcomes public visitors, school groups and provides a range of educational workshops.

Paul Myers, Managing Director of Farm Urban said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer our hydroponic Edible Wall systems, Produce Pod aquaponic systems and learning programmes across all four sites involved in the Crop Cycle project. The team at Farm Urban have loved working alongside the four community organisations, they are all so enthusiastic and engaged which is exactly what we need for the social and environmental benefits of CEA to be shared across the UK and beyond. It has been a privilege to work alongside industry leaders GrowStack, LettUs Grow and Digital Farming learning more about their systems and approach. One of the many highlights of this project has been the openness and willingness to share and collaborate between all partners which is so important to drive the industry forward.”

To follow the progress of the community grow sites, you can follow Crop Cycle on social media, and technology providers LettUs Grow, Digital Farming, GrowStack and Farm Urban.

Tags: Indoor & Vertical Farming, Processing & Supply Chain | AgTech

Building A Vertical Farm With Partners — An Ongoing Case In Switzerland

iFarm has recently announced a partnership with YASAI and Logiqs to create a new vertical farm in Switzerland. Working together, we aim to expand into new locations, highlight the growth potential of vertical farming in Europe and showcase the benefits of working with industry partners.

On 5 February 2021, iFarm (The Netherlands), YASAI AG (Switzerland) and Logiqs B.V. (The Netherlands) announced a strategic partnership with plans to launch Zurich’s first vertical farm. iFarm will supply the nutrient solution management system, specialist sensors, control systems and Growtune software platform and Logiqs will be supplying automated shelving systems at Yasai’s 673 sq. m plantation.

Now, we’re giving you behind-the-scenes access to the data and decisions that were the driving force behind the venture.

With contributions from Mark E. Zahran, Co-Founder, and CEO of YASAI, Gert-Jan van Staalduinen, CEO and Owner of Logiqs, and Kirill Zelenski, Managing Director of iFarm Europe, we’ll look at how and why this strategic partnership came about and what the future holds.

Read on to find out more about what goes into launching a successful vertical farm and how you can achieve the same goals.

Why Switzerland? Why Europe?

As you may already know, location is a critical factor when assessing the feasibility of a vertical farm. Locating a vertical farm in a densely populated urban area, with limited access to traditional farming facilities and rural land, ensures there is untapped demand for locally grown produce.

For Mark, being based in Switzerland made Zurich a natural choice for the first YASAI vertical farm. However, selecting the right location wasn’t merely a matter of convenience, as he emphasised:

The market is here. The market demands local produce, grown in a responsible and sustainable way, and, with the right technology, you can meet the demand and create a successful business.

Although the concept of vertical farming is becoming increasingly popular in Europe, there’s no doubt that the regional market lags behind its U.S. and Asian counterparts, but this needn’t be a deterrent for potential investors or farmers. In fact, the growth potential makes vertical farming in Europe a viable form of investment:

Vertical farming has grown more quickly in America and Asia but, I think, in the end, we will have a more sustainable model and acceleration is already taking place.

Gert, Logiqs

With demand for fresh, locally sourced produce creating a market for vertical farms and investors actively seeking out new ventures, it’s clear that Switzerland, and Europe as a whole, is a prime location for the partnership. By taking a strategic approach, other farmers, entrepreneurs and start-ups can use the same parameters to identify key locations for future vertical farms.

Do Local Trends Matter?

Local trends and current market conditions certainly play a role in identifying viable locations, and opportunities, for vertical farming. Whether you’re forming a partnership or starting your own venture, you’ll want to ensure that your vertical farm is situated in an area that prioritises what you can offer.

In Europe, for example, the current range of fresh produce available in the supermarkets is somewhat limited, despite the growing popularity of pesticide-free produce and plant-based foods. As awareness of environmental issues and climate change becomes more important to consumers, this is already being reflected in their decision-making and purchase behaviour.

The European Statistics Handbook reports that Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland and Denmark) are responsible for just 1.5% of Europe’s fresh produce, with the local climate being cited as the main obstacle to production. With climate-controlled production facilities, however, the potential of vertical farming in this region is clear and presents a worthwhile investment for entrepreneurs, farmers and investors.

Furthermore, the CBI estimates that Europe is responsible for 44% of worldwide fresh fruit and vegetable trade. Exporters to the region are encouraged to capitalise on the continent’s ‘off season' in order to maximise their profits. While traditional farming methods do, of course, result in off seasons, this no longer needs to be the case. The ability of vertical farmers to grow high-quality produce year-round using climate-controlled environments effectively eradicates off seasons and facilitates domestic fruit and vegetable production.

Based on these trends, it’s possible to predict that European consumers will respond positively to the presence of pesticide-free, locally grown, produce in shops and restaurants. For retailers and food or vegetables distributors, this makes partnering with vertical farmers a viable and exciting venture.

In relation to our current partnership, the fact that Switzerland imports 48% of its vegetables, reflects the Europe-wide food production trends and indicates that there is a growing market for fresh, local produce:

When fresh produce is imported, companies are more focused on transportability than flavour or quality. By shortening the supply chain and growing produce locally, we can deliver better tasting vegetables and higher quality produce.

Mark, YASAI

At the same time, a more health-conscious society is placing greater emphasis on food quality and diversity. The emerging, ‘pay the farmer, not the doctor' movement, is reframing the way we think about food as the foundation of our health, which will no doubt impact future consumer behaviour.

If you look at the last 200 years, the amount that people spend on medical care was increasing all the time and the amount they paid for food was decreasing, so now we are at a sweet spot where it could change again and people would eat more consciously and also get less sick, which leads to a healthier society.

Mark, YASAI

It’s evident, therefore, that local trends have been a key factor in identifying the right location for YASAI’s new vertical farm. By assessing potential locations from an economic perspective, analysing the domestic market and identifying current and emerging trends, it’s possible to determine where vertical farms can have the greatest success.

Finding the Right Partners

When you’re embarking on any venture, it’s important to work with the right partners. So, how did the alliance between YASAI, Logiqs and iFarm come about?

Already operational in Europe, Russia and the MENA, iFarm was approached by YASAI on the basis of our leading vertical farm solutions, collaborative approach to farming and reputation within the industry. Indeed, the success of the solutions was a factor in why YASAI were so keen to work with iFarm:

What we saw, in terms of hardware, is that there are very good logistics partners out there, such as Logiqs, and, in terms of software, iFarm’s solutions were already proven. Also, the range of plant growth recipes available via iFarm’s Growtune software was critical to our goal of increasing crop and food diversity.

Mark, YASAI

From our perspective, we were excited to work with both YASAI and Logiqs to create Zurich’s first vertical farm. Both the passion and expertise of the partners were clear from the outset with the potential for a long-lasting and successful relationship. Furthermore, our economic analysis of the region confirmed what a lucrative market Europe is for vertical farming and further cemented our commitment to expanding in the region.

Kirill, iFarm

However, identifying the right partners isn’t solely about finding organisations who can meet your needs or deliver the solutions you need to begin operating.

We’ve been delivering horticultural solutions for 45 years, so we have a lot of experience we can bring to a partnership, but, when it comes to complex innovation, it’s very important to have partners that are open and all focused on the same objective, instead of their own, individual success.

Gert, Logiqs

Creating the vertical farm in Niederhasli, Zurich, is a joint collaboration, with YASAI taking on the management, operations and branding, Logiqs providing automated hardware and iFarm delivering the nutrient solution management system, climate control equipment and the Growtune software platform. While each partner is bringing distinct, critical components to the table, it’s the values and objectives that form the union and facilitate a constructive and collaborative working partnership.

What we really liked about iFarm is its collaborative mindset. That’s how we want to accelerate, vertical farming — with collaboration.

Mark, YASAI

Whether you’re a farmer, retailer, food distributor, investor or entrepreneur, there are partnership opportunities available right now. However, it’s important to think about long-term goals and what success looks like when you’re deciding who to work with. By partnering with people and companies that share your values and ambitions, you can work together cohesively and increase your success.

Why is Vertical Farming Important?

Vertical farms may be a profitable investment, but they offer much more besides revenue and profit. In addition to being a prime investment in Europe, vertical farming can change the way we approach food production and provide better access to food, as well as reducing the environmental impact current production methods have.

At iFarm, the potential to spark worldwide change and benefit society has always been the driving force behind the operations, and we’re pleased to partner with organisations who share these values.

We have the ambition to accelerate access to ‘honest food'. People will learn about this partnership and will start to think about the way we produce foods and the potential vertical farming has to solve some of the acute global issues.

Gert, Logiqs

As we move towards a more circular economy, there’s a greater emphasis on the need to minimise waste and make better use of our resources. In comparison to traditional farming or greenhouses, vertical farming is more closely aligned to these objectives and will, therefore, be critical in shaping the future of food production.

If we want to create real circular food systems, we must think about how to integrate technology and not just build more efficient food factories.

Mark, YASAI

The trend towards sustainable, pesticide-free food production has gained traction in recent years, but it’s accelerated in recent months. As we continue to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the industry and society as a whole, it’s clear that the way we think about food, health and even retail is changing:

People started to rethink their diet habits, their way of life, and consider alternatives to the status quo.

Mark, YASAI

From a commercial perspective, the relative instability of large supply chains has been highlighted by COVID-19, which means businesses are now more wary of relying on complex chains and reluctant to put unnecessary distance between their own operations and their suppliers. As a result, the ability to grow produce in close proximity to retailers and distributors means vertical farms will play a key role in the evolution of the food production industry, in both the short and long-term.

With the potential to improve access to high quality produce, drastically reduce the environmental impact of food production, shorten supply chains and deliver better food diversity, vertical farming can provide solutions to so many of the issues we’re currently facing. From food scarcity in developing countries to volatility within the distribution industry, vertical farms can play a key role in transforming the way we grow, access and think about food.

What’s Next for iFarm, YASAI and Logiqs?

As YASAI’s Zurich vertical farm prepares to open in Niederhasli in autumn 2021, we’re already looking towards the future. We’ll be testing and perfecting our growing methods in Niederhasli, with a view to working together on an ambitious project to create another vertical farm that’s 10 times bigger. With plans already underway, the creation of Zurich’s first vertical farm could be the first step in our shared journey.

Is a Partnership Right for You?

Now you’ve got an insight into the rationale, decision-making and objectives behind our strategic alliance with YASAI and Logiqs, you may be wondering whether a partnership could offer the same growth potential to you.

By working with iFarm and other industry leaders, you can access the resources, services and expertise you need to create your own successful vertical farm. Whether you’re a traditional farmer who wants to incorporate new technology into your operations, a retailer that wants to access locally sourced produce or an investor looking for your next venture, a vertical farm partnership can deliver the practical, financial and sustainable rewards you’re looking for.

To learn more, take a look at how you can benefit from vertical farming:

1. Food, Fruit and Vegetable Distributors

For existing food, fruit and vegetable distributors, partnering with vertical farms and logistics companies offers clear benefits. With an abundance of crops being produced all year-round, distributors can expand their network and substantially increase their profitability.

As traditional farming delivers seasonal growth, distributors may be forced to work with numerous clients in order to trade throughout the year. Inevitably, this means changing distribution routes, switching equipment and altering the network to accommodate different types of produce.

In contrast, the year-round production at vertical farms enables distributors to minimise resource consumption, safeguard demand and use existing routes. As a result, food, fruit and vegetable distributors can maximise their own profitability by partnering with vertical farmers, investors, logistics providers, food retailers and entrepreneurs.

2. Food Retailers

Food retailers can benefit from vertical farm partnerships in a number of ways. For example, a food retailer can source fresh produce from their partners and increase the diversity of their stock. This enables retailers to enhance the quality and the flavour of their fresh produce, as well as meeting consumer demand for pesticide-free, locally-sourced food.

Critically, partnering with other organisations or investors to create a vertical farm also gives retailers the chance to shorten their supply chains. As we’ve seen over the past year, complex or lengthy supply chains are precarious, particularly when stock has a short lifespan, as is the case with fruits and vegetables. Supply chain delays and disruptions are now common, which leads to increased waste, additional expenditure and fewer products on the shelves.

As part of a vertical farm partnership, however, food retailers can produce their own stock, avoid the risk associated with lengthy supply chains and cater to a growing market. By doing so, retailers can reduce their expenditure, safeguard their supply chains and increase their profitability.

3. Investors

Investors, financial partners and private equity funds can capitalise on the evolving agro-tech industry by partnering with expanding vertical farms. As we can see with the YASAI vertical farm in Niederhasli, the initial production site is only a glimpse of what’s to come. With proven success at smaller sites, investors can get in at the ground level to fund expansion and reap the rewards.

The EU has already confirmed its plans to drastically reduce the use of pesticides in food production, with a 50% reduction estimated by 2030. This, combined with consumer demand for pesticide-free food, highlights a growing market. Furthermore, it’s a market that vertical farms can and will satisfy.

While the increasing market for pesticide-free produce is one reason why vertical farms present such a lucrative investment, there are many others. The relatively low start-up costs, in conjunction with low running costs, makes vertical farms a viable option for all types of investors.

Furthermore, many investors are actively seeking out ‘green investments'. From hedge funds to pension funds, an increasing number of people and companies are moving away from investing in products, firms or industries which are known to have a negative impact on the environment and searching for an alternative. Not only does a vertical farm partnership meet the criteria of a green investment and enhance the ‘green credentials' for all parties, it can also generate significant and sizable returns.

4. Distributors and Resellers of Agro-Technologies

For existing distributors and resellers of agro-technologies, the chance to form a partnership with vertical farmers, investors, retailers and entrepreneurs is undoubtedly compelling.

Instead of simply selling your tech innovations to farmers and companies, you’ll have the chance to create long-term professional relationships with people and organisations from your target audience. By doing so, you can increase customer lifecycle value and optimise your profitability.

However, the increased revenue isn’t the only benefit associated with a partnership. As we have seen with Logiqs' role within the iFarm and YASAI partnership, the chance to increase brand awareness within the industry and establish your firm as a market leader is valuable in itself.

As your role in ground-breaking partnerships becomes more widely-known, demand for your brand and your technologies is increased and further growth potential develops. From ad hoc sales to additional partnerships, distributors and resellers of agro-technologies can significantly increase their reach when they form partnerships with other people and organisations in the industry.

Additionally, being part of a partnership enables you to work closely with farmers and to gain an in-depth insight into the type of technology they require. In doing so, you will consistently enhance and evolve your technologies to deliver more efficient and more effective solutions. For agro-tech developers, the chance to shape the future of the industry makes a vertical farm partnership an opportunity that simply shouldn’t be missed.

To learn more or to explore upcoming partnership opportunities, contact iFarm today at +358 504 801 487 or email us at sales@ifarm.fi

PlantLab Opens The First Indoor Grow Site In The United States

Earl Warner

As a Dutch pioneer in indoor farming (vertical farming), PlantLab has opened a new production site in the US city of Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana.

The first overseas ‘Plant Paradise’ grows vegetables for the locals in a place where it was previously unthinkable: in a former battery factory near the center of town.

The first herbs and lettuce heads have now been harvested from the 2,000 square meter grow site and delivered to local supermarkets and foodservice companies. PlantLab will grow different types of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and herbs in Indianapolis. The new location will ultimately be good for a total of 420,000 kilograms of fresh vegetables and provides employment for around seventy people.

Healthy and delicious

PlantLab has made a breakthrough over the past ten years with its efficient, worldwide patented technology for innovative urban agriculture, which is now in use in a commercial production site in Amsterdam and now also in Indianapolis.

This makes it possible to grow fresh, healthy, and tasty vegetables on a large scale close to the consumer without the use of chemical pesticides. In an area of ​​only two football fields, it is possible to produce enough to supply a city of 100,000 people with 200 grams of vegetables every day.

Sustainable urban corridors

PlantLab has partnered in Indianapolis with Englewood Community Development Corporation, which works on the sustainable development of urban corridors. The products are marketed under the brand name “Uplift, good food for purpose”.

“The collaboration gives us the opportunity to mean more to Indianapolis society,” says Michiel Peters, CEO of PlantLab. “It fits exactly with our mission. We are not only increasing the supply of sustainable and responsible fresh food for local customers, but we are also creating jobs in a sector that is totally new to this region. ”

Need less water

This summer, PlantLab raised € 20 million in growth funds from De Hoge Dennen Capital as part of an investment round. Scaling wants to use that money to open theatrical production sites in the Netherlands, the United States, and the Bahamas, among others. PlantLab production sites can be located anywhere in the world, even on sterile soil or in the middle of urban areas.

Crops reach their full potential by regulating temperature, humidity, and light, while 95% less water is needed. The light comes from specially developed LED lights that provide the specific color of light that the plant needs for photosynthesis.

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Earl Warner

“Devoted bacon guru. Award-winning explorer. Internet junkie. Web lover.”

Valoya Announces Departure of CEO

Valoya's CEO, Mr. Lars Aikala will leave the company in early 2021, by which time he will have served it from its founding, a total of 12 years. A search for the new Chief Executive Officer is undergoing. The company will continue to execute its strategy of bringing high quality, research-based horticultural LED lighting solutions to its crop science, medicinal plant and vertical farming customers globally.

“Valoya has come a long way from when we founded it in 2009. We now have a unique position in the market with our research-based, proven horticultural lighting solutions, which are appreciated by our customers globally. Our innovations and over 600 plant trials have enabled us to pioneer this market for more than a decade. We have built an international patent portfolio of 100+ granted patents, which demonstrates and protects our innovation. Our amazing team and our great resellers serve our customers in more than 50 countries with commitment and dedication.”, says Mr Aikala. He continues “Naturally we have also had to overcome several challenges during the years. The latest one, COVID-19 has again proven that the team strongly pulls together to win. I am very proud of the fact that in these challenging times we managed to deliver revenue growth in 2020 and more importantly we also exceeded our profitability targets. Valoya now has a strong foundation and I am sure Valoya’s future will be very bright.”

 The change comes from Lars’s desire to go back to the intensity, thrills and challenges of creating new business. The Board of Directors and Lars agree that now is a good time to make the change. To ensure a smooth transition, Mr Aikala will continue working as CEO until a successor is in place.

 "With his passion, relentless drive and unique expertise Lars made Valoya into the great company it is today. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the owners, I would like to extend sincere and best thank you to Lars for his very valuable contribution to Valoya's development", says Christer Härkönen, Chairman of the Board at Valoya.

 About Valoya

Valoya is a provider of high end, energy-efficient LED grow lights for use in crop science, vertical farming and medicinal plants cultivation. Valoya LED grow lights have been developed using Valoya's proprietary LED technology and extensive plant photobiology research. Valoya's customer base includes numerous vertical farms, greenhouses and research institutions all over the world (including 8 out of 10 world’s largest agricultural companies).

 Additional information:

Valoya Ltd, Finland

Tel: +358 10 2350300

Email: sales@valoya.com

Web: www.valoya.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valoyafi/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/valoya

Terramera Deploys New Industry-Leading Technology To Speed Discovery of Sustainable Crop Solutions For Farmers

December 3, 2020

New customized growth chambers and liquid handling robot already delivering better, faster research results

• Where many crop protection products fail in the field because testing doesn’t accurately replicate on-farm conditions, Terramera’s new growth chambers are customized to simulate wide-ranging weather as climate change leads to even more extreme conditions for farmers

• Fully automated and uniquely retrofitted for experimental use, Terramera’s growth chambers will reduce the trial time from weeks to days while strengthening the connection between the lab and the farm and paving the way for the future of food

• New liquid handling robot, “Enzing,” is a best-in-class design that is rapidly screening active ingredients with Terramera’s Actigate™ technology

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VANCOUVER, BC – December 3, 2020 – Terramera, the global agtech leader fusing science, nature, and artificial intelligence to transform how food is grown and the economics of agriculture, today announced the launch of six custom, state-of-the-art plant growth chambers, showcasing Terramera’s industry-leading technological capabilities and redefining indoor agriculture’s contribution to field-based production.

Many crop protection products fail in the field because labs and greenhouses do not accurately replicate real-world conditions. Each chamber offers precise control over temperature (ranging from 5 to 40 degrees Celsius), humidity, and light to simulate many possible field conditions, from cool nights and morning mists to desert and subtropical conditions, and will be outfitted with a Terramera-built automation system for end-to-end integration. Automation will enable experiments to run entirely without human intervention including watering, spraying, nutrient dosing, and imaging of the plants throughout their lifecycle, dramatically accelerating data collection for product performance and increasing accuracy with Terramera’s industry-leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) platform.

“Customized growth chambers allow us to simulate weather to study disease and insect infestations with integrated treatment and imaging systems in one automated system -- replicated six times for parallel studies,” said Annett Rozek, Terramera Chief Scientific Officer. “This is as close as we can get to real-world conditions in a research environment and will deliver solutions as rapidly and efficiently as possible.”

The new growth chambers bring Terramera’s total to 12 and are part of a larger technological scale-up for the company, which also brought a new best-in-class liquid handling robot on board. Terramera’s own machine learning (ML) model named the robot, “Enzing,” which is integrated into Terramera’s fully automated in-vitro screening and data analysis pipeline. The robot has already enabled Terramera’s largest in-vitro screening project yet, testing the company’s Actigate™ library against numerous plant disease pathogens.

“This marks an exciting milestone for Terramera and a step-change in the industry by adding a new, essential capacity,” said Karn Manhas, Terramera Founder, and CEO. “Simulated environment studies are the missing link between controlled environments like the lab or greenhouse and field trials since many products fail because lab and greenhouse conditions are too different from the outside world on a farm. This technology increases our throughput, allowing us to predict outcomes more accurately, allowing us to quickly scale our knowledge and technologies to make farming healthier, more sustainable and productive while turning back the clock on climate change.”

About Terramera

Terramera is a global agtech leader fusing science, nature, and artificial intelligence to transform how food is grown and the economics of agriculture in the next decade. With its revolutionary Actigate™ technology platform, which was recognized by Fast Company as a 2020 World Changing Idea, Terramera is committed to reducing the global synthetic pesticide load 80% by 2030 to protect plant and human health and ensure an earth that thrives and provides for everyone. The privately held, venture-backed company was founded in 2010 and has grown to include a world-class bench of engineers, scientists, advisors, and investors. Terramera is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with integrated operations in Canada, the US and India that include research labs, a greenhouse and farm, and more than 240 patents in its global IP portfolio.

For more information, please visit Terramera.com

Media Contact

Valerie Martin  

VP Strategic Communications – Terramera  

valerie.martin@terramera.com

612-743-4013

VIDEO: AI-Controlled Vertical Farms Promise Revolution In Food Production

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DECEMBER 30, 2020

by Peter Grad, Tech Xplore

When you think about it, early civilizations had a rough time when it came to dinnertime. With no supermarkets, McDonald's, or Cheesecake Factories, you pretty much had to find and prepare your own meal every day. And since Uber would not be invented for another 14,000 years, primitive peoples around 12,000 BC had to walk, sometimes for miles, and learn to hunt, fish, gather and cook for their daily meals. In the rain. Even on Sundays.

Farming evolved quite a bit since then. But with a world population hurtling towards 8 billion, we face a problem. As the 18th-century economist Thomas Malthus observed, the human population increases geometrically, while food production increases only arithmetically. That means the more civilization grows and thrives, the more likely it will be unable to keep up with demands for food.

While advances in food technology have helped forestall Malthus' dire predictions, there remains a great concern for the future of food production as the Earth's population soars on a planet with shrinking farming real estate. National Geographic recently predicted that by 2050, there will be more than two billion additional mouths to feed while the Earth's irrigable land remains essentially the same.

A San Francisco agricultural-technical startup thinks it might just have an answer. Nate Storey, who co-founded the appropriately named Plenty, wants to reinvent farming.

To do so, he has constructed climate-controlled vertical farms that are so promising, they have drawn $400 million in funding from former Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and SoftBank.

These upright farms take up only 2 acres yet produce 720 acres worth of fruit and vegetables. Lighting, temperature and watering are controlled by AI-controlled robots. Sunlight is emulated by LED panels, so food is grown in optimal conditions 24/7. And water is recycled and evaporated water recaptured so there is virtually no waste.

The operation is so efficient it uses 99 percent less land and 95 percent less water than normal farming operations.

"Imagine a 1,500-acre farm," Storey says. "Now, imagine that fitting inside your favorite grocery store, growing up to 350 times more. That's efficient."

It is so efficient that these rows of hanging plants produce 400 times more food per acre than a traditional farm.

AI monitors growth patterns and constantly adjusts environmental factors such as temperature, water, and light patterns to ensure ever-more efficient and economical output.

In an era that has seen food production lines disrupted by a pandemic, wildfires, and hurricanes, Plenty's approach will play a key role in ensuring future stability in the food chain.

Plenty's website explains vertical farming "free agriculture from the constraints of weather, seasons, time, distance, pests, natural disasters, and climate."

Also noteworthy is that the crops are grown "GMO-free" and use no pesticides or herbicides, according to Plenty.

Plenty will soon supply more than 400 stores in California with its produce. The company says its packaging is specially designed to keep produce fresh longer and is 100 percent recyclable.

In October, Driscoll's, a leading producer of fresh berries, reached an agreement with Plenty to produce strawberries year-round in its Laramie, Wyoming-based farming operation, currently the largest privately-owned vertical farming and research facility in the world.

The Plenty website lists several products currently offered in stores, including lettuce, arugula, bok choy, mizuna and kale.

If the first civilizations to invent farming back around 12,000 BC only had the convenience of vertical farming, maybe they could have saved 8,000 or so years by spending more time working on inventing the wheel. And ear pods.

Explore further

The yield potential of wheat grown in controlled-environment vertical farms

Lead photo: Credit: Plenty

SINGAPORE: Planting The Seeds For The Future of Farming

Agritech Startup I.F.F.I. Is Injecting

Science And Technology Into Agriculture

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CLAUDIA CHONG

chongkmc@sph.com

.sg@ClaudiaChongBT - November 27, 2020

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Mr. Lim (left) saw a big business opportunity in urban agriculture and its importance in food sustainability. He decided to start I.F.F.I. with Mr. Tham (right), who now heads the subsidiary as its chief executive.

BT PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN

NELSON Lim, who co-founded an agritech startup in Singapore, likes to joke that his crops are incredibly pampered.

"They have to have the right food and the right water, they 'listen' to music, and they even get 'massaged' with wind from a fan," he said with a laugh.

His company I.F.F.I. intends to lead the charge in precision farming, an approach in agriculture where crops are researched and monitored to receive exactly what they need for optimal growth.

"You can control everything - how hard or soft you want your vegetable to be, the nutrition level, the sweetness level and much more. This is no magic. It's all due to science and technology," he said.

Tech solutions not only help to improve the yield and quality of crops but address the perennial challenge of manpower, which is one of the largest cost factors in urban farming.

At I.F.F.I's indoor showroom in Tuas, a robotic arm performs seeding, transplanting, and vision checks on areas such as seed quality, plant growth, and pre-harvest plant condition.

The company uses the Internet of Things (IoT) software to help with remote monitoring, while a special water treatment system reduces bacteria growth and improves yield rate.

Racks for the crops are also customized to different heights and sizes for precision farming, while a customized light spectrum was designed so that crops are cultivated in an optimum way.

I.F.F.I. was founded a year ago as a subsidiary of TranZplus, a precision machinery and components manufacturer.

TranZplus was one of the main vendors for Panasonic Factory Solutions Asia Pacific (PFSAP), when Panasonic began venturing into indoor farming five to six years ago and needed to manufacture some racks.

It was then that Mr. Lim, who was then TranZplus' chief executive, met Alfred Tham, the deputy general manager of PFSAP's agricultural unit. Mr. Lim saw a big business opportunity in urban agriculture and its importance in food sustainability.

He decided to start I.F.F.I. (which stands for Indoor Farm Factory Innovation) with Mr. Tham, who now heads the subsidiary as its chief executive.

Mega farm with mega ambition

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I.F.F.I. was one of only nine urban farms that were offered a total of S$39.4 million in grants by the Singapore Food Agency in August to support local food production.

The company is planning to launch a 38,000 square foot mega indoor farm by the middle of next year. The farm, which is under development at JTC Space @ Tuas, is expected to churn out 800 kg to 1,000 kg of produce per day. It will be able to accommodate about 12 layers of racks for crops, Mr. Tham said.

Mr Lim described the current Covid-19 crisis as a "wake-up call for everyone". With the pandemic sparking concerns over food security and protectionism by food-producing nations, Singapore's ability to rely on local resources has become more important than ever, he said.

The city-state has a "30 by 30" goal to produce 30 percent of nutritional needs locally by 2030. The current figure stands at less than 10 percent.

Vertical indoor farming will be a huge driver of this growth because of its ability to maximize the use of space in land-scarce Singapore, Mr. Lim said.

I.F.F.I's ambitions are not limited to the borders of Singapore. In food-producing countries that are dependent on seasonal crops, the company sees opportunities in helping enterprises and traditional farmers grow their produce indoors under controlled conditions all year round.

The startup's core business model would be to serve as consultants and designers to businesses looking to set up urban farms. It is currently in discussion with three potential clients - one is in traditional farming and looking to automate some processes, another is in the logistics industry and the third is in the marine sector.

In February, I.F.F.I. signed a memorandum of understanding with a manufacturing company in China to set up a joint venture called I.F.F.I. China. The China facility will feature an indoor farm, a salad cafe with produce from the farm, and a gym facility.

The company also has a collaboration with Singapore firm Pure Active Water, which distributes the French patented ActivH2O water treatment technology.

A few investors have already approached I.F.F.I. and shown "great interest", said Mr. Tham. The company is currently in negotiation with them.

Talent and education

One of the company's biggest goals is to spark interest in farming and help drive research in this sector.

"You don't see many people studying hard to try to go into farming," Mr Lim said with a wry smile.

"Can you imagine if we put 'hiring for a farmer' in our job scope? It's a finished game!"

Thankfully, educational institutions have been working closely with the government and private sector to teach youth about the newest farming technologies.

Mr Tham, for instance, is an associate lecturer at Republic Polytechnic for the school's diploma in urban agricultural technology.

I.F.F.I. plans to dedicate a space within its upcoming mega farm for a training and R&D center. The center will host workshops, seminars, institute courses, and research collaborations for crop recipes and farming methods.

A farm-to-table cafe parked next to a cultivation showroom is also in the works, with the aim to let consumers appreciate the value of fresh homegrown indoor crops.

I.F.F.I's parent company TranZplus has about 50 staff, and Mr. Tham, Mr. Lim, and I.F.F.I general manager Dorothy Wong are the key members leading the subsidiary.

As the company expands on its ambitions, I.F.F.I plans to hire 30 to 40 staff, mostly for its mega farm.

"We want to change the mindset of people, and how they look at farming," Mr Tham said. "Farming can also be very sexy!"

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"We Have Barely Scratched The Surface In The MENA AgTech Sector"

"Badia Farms is the first commercial vertical farm to launch in the GCC. We officially started operations in the heart of Dubai in 2016, but the seeds were planted further back. My background is in engineering and banking. I first took the entrepreneurial leap in Saudi Arabia in the hospitality sector by opening multiple unique restaurant concepts." That's how Omar Al Jundi, Founder & CEO of Badia Farms, introduces himself.

Mesmerized by hydroponics
When he decided to enter his next venture, he says "I knew it had to be both challenging and able to add value and make a difference to our society and communities. When I was introduced to the concept of hydroponics, I was mesmerized with this new technique of growing where we don’t require any soil, we can recycle 90% of the water, and it can be grown in a fully closed environment, without even sunlight!  Years before we launched I learned as much from experts, conferences, courses, and by working in a high-tech greenhouse facility in Holland."

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Sustainability
Food security is one of the main issues in the MENA region, and the development of sustainable farming is crucial. "We have seen this first hand during the early days of the Covid pandemic," Omar says. "Produce supply chains were halted, and many countries (especially in MENA) had to reassess their long-term plans and fast-track their commitment to AgTech models such as vertical farming."

The choice to go vertical
Vertical farming and AgTech is needed in the GCC. Why? Omar explains: "Over-dependence on imported produce and the simple fact that traditional framing does not work in our arid desert climate. I want to tackle an issue that will make a difference to society while preserving our natural resources such as water. Badia products are pesticide and herbicide-free. Since our crops are grown naturally in sterile, soil-free mediums, along with the controlled environment, it removes the need for harmful additives. We can also harvest fresh produce all year round. Our harvest yields 4-8 times the amount of crops in the same space compared to conventional soil farming. As a former restaurateur, it has been amazing to be able to work with the top chefs and restaurants in the UAE and be able to supply them with fresh, better than organic flavourful products that wouldn't be available to them otherwise. The journey from food to table is much shorter."

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Optimal growth conditions
In this vertical farming environment, Badia Farms is able to control every aspect of the ecosystem to ensure optimal growth conditions are provided for each crop. "For example, our facilities utilize LEDs, artificial lighting to replace the sunlight, we control and monitor all environmental inputs (humidity, temperature, CO2), and we use computer linked dosing units to schedule the irrigation and feed formulas," Omar points out. "Lastly, our hydroponic growing methods use 90% less water compared to open field growing, and since we recirculate our water there’s no wastage."

Support needed
There were also some challenges along the way to achieving this, as AgTech and modern farming are still very new to the region. "The biggest challenge is there aren’t off the shelf solutions that we can purchase and implement immediately," Omar says. "In the case of vertical farming, which is still at an infancy stage globally, we had to design our own grow system to form our IP and ensure we have a commercial operation that will yield high-quality products and profits to ensure we stay in business.

We surely need a lot more support from the government and private sectors for this industry to see the light. For example, the government can support the industry by introducing cost-effective initiatives that reduce the operational cost that will ensure the viability of the projects. Educating the public and consumers on the benefits of modern farming and vertical farming is very important to ensure the continuity of this new industry. We are seeing more regional and global VC's and investment funds interested in the AgTech sector in our region, but they haven’t made the big investments yet!"

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Opportunities in the Middle East
Asked what advice Omar would give to people looking into breaking into the UAE food/ag market, he says: "What's great right now is that we have barely scratched the surface in the MENA AgTech sector, so there are so many opportunities, which has been propelled by the pandemic. The UAE is an open economy, I suggest whoever is interested to enter the market to come and meet with the different governmental entities, to meet with distributors, understand the market dynamics, pricing, etc. Come and do the work themselves vs hiring a consultant to do the job. The journey won't be easy. But even with the advent of technology farming is still what it was hundreds of years ago: to grow something needs constant attention, passion, and patience."

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E-commerce platform
Badia Farms has a lot in store for the future, like increasing their product offering, expanding their facility in the UAE, and growing their team. "We are also excited about the launch of our own e-commerce platform! The crop will be harvested only once a customer places an order and will reach them within a couple of hours. We are also raising our next round of funding. So a lot is going on", Omar concludes.

Omar Al Jundi will be one of the speakers during the upcoming Agritecture Xchange. When registering, you can use the code 'HDaily10' to get 10% off tickets.

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For more information:
Badia Farms
www.badiafarms.com

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Publication date: Fri 23 Oct 2020
Author: Jan Jacob Mekes
© HortiDaily.com

More Than $30 Million of Additional AgTech Deals in Abu Dhabi’s Pipeline

September 24th, 2020

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The Abu Dhabi Investment Office

The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) announced today upcoming developments in Abu Dhabi’s agriculture sector as part of continued plans to bolster local AgTech capabilities and innovations in desert agriculture. In the coming months, more than AED 110 million (USD 30 million) in financial incentives are to be offered to AgTech companies looking to establish or fast track their growth in Abu Dhabi.

The update was given at ADIO’s first sector-focused webinar, “Inside Abu Dhabi: Innovation in Agriculture”, which took place on 23 September and highlighted opportunities in the emirate’s AgTech space. The webinar was attended by participants from all across the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and India.

The new pipeline is part of ADIO’s incentive programme, established under the Abu Dhabi Government’s Ghadan 21 accelerator programme. The incentive packages include competitive financial incentives and other non-financial benefits for companies that develop and commercialise new arid and desert agriculture solutions based on pre-determined criteria.

The new deals will build on the milestones achieved by the four AgTech pioneers – AeroFarms, Madar Farms, Responsive Drop Irrigation (RDI), and RNZ – ADIO partnered with earlier this year to establish R&D and production facilities in the emirate.

H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Director General of ADIO, said: “We have made significant headway towards realising our mission of turning sand into farmland, prioritising innovation that has the potential to make real, lasting change in the region and beyond. Despite the current global conditions, 2020 will be a transformational year for AgTech in Abu Dhabi as we close in on deals to bring more pioneering companies to the UAE. We will continue to work closely with ecosystem players like the Ministry of Food Security, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), and ADQ to support AgTech founders and startups with the resources and infrastructure they require to achieve long-term success in the emirate.”

ADIO announced in April that it made AED 367 million (USD 100 million) in financial incentives available to four AgTech pioneers, partnering individually with AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RDI, and RNZ to establish new R&D and production facilities in Abu Dhabi. During the first “Inside Abu Dhabi” webinar, each company announced significant milestones in their respective projects over the past five months.

USA-headquartered vertical farming company AeroFarms has set up its corporate office at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to plug into the emirate’s innovation ecosystem and support R&D plans aimed at tackling agriculture problems within desert and arid climates. The company has also built out a local team, including hiring a general manager to lead AeroFarms’ Abu Dhabi strategy.

David Rosenberg, Co-Founder, and CEO of AeroFarms, commented: “Our excitement grows as we advance in Abu Dhabi the building of the world’s largest R&D indoor vertical farm in the world. We have set up corporate offices and started to build out an incredible team including our General Manager. We are working to finalise partnerships to co-innovate together in our Abu Dhabi facility as we work to solve some of the most pressing problems in agriculture in the region and the world. We are honoured to be working closely with ADIO to make Abu Dhabi a nexus for AgTech innovation and we encourage companies and universities to reach out and partner with us as we work on the next generation of agriculture breakthroughs.”

Madar Farms, a home-grown UAE AgTech innovator, has made significant progress in developing the local food offering in the market. The company has launched new products and is reaching consumers through expanded distributors and platforms. It is also partnering with a UAE education institution to teach students about AgTech and hydroponic systems, educating them about sustainable indoor agriculture from an early age.

Abdulaziz AlMulla, CEO and Co-Founder of Madar Farms, said: “We are happy to be part of the conversation. At Madar Farms, we are already leading a new agriculture revolution by growing a wide range of high-quality fresh produce every day here in the UAE with the use of advanced farming technologies. We want to create a lasting change by providing a holistic approach to sustainability and every day we are working towards achieving our vision and establishing Abu Dhabi as a global AgTech leader.”

RDI, which has developed an innovative irrigation system to transform water usage in UAE agriculture, has secured a facility in Abu Dhabi’s integrated trade, logistics, and industrial hub, KIZAD, to be used for industrial research, product manufacturing, and distribution. Given the emirate’s strategic location at the intersection of the Middle East, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia regions, the new distribution hub will allow RDI to reach more water-stressed countries that can benefit from its irrigation solution. The company is also set to install pilot projects using green technologies in Abu Dhabi over the coming months, paving the way for the development of the best AgTech practices in desert environments.

Jan Gould, Co-Founder, and CEO of RDI, commented: “The foresight and vision of Abu Dhabi’s ruler and its government leaders to focus and support innovations in agriculture has defined the UAE capital as a leader in ensuring food security for its citizens, developing local food supply chains, addressing challenges and preserving the planet’s precious resources for the future. Responsive Drip Irrigation is committed to working with ADIO and our partners in the AgTech programme to build a greener tomorrow for generations to come. With Abu Dhabi’s leadership and support, there is hope for recovery if we all work together. We just need to plant the seed.”

RNZ, which produces customised solutions for farming communities, has broken ground on a plot in KIZAD and laid the foundations for its new R&D centre, expected to be operational towards the end of the first half of 2021. The team is steadily being assembled with both a Head of Research and Head of Production appointed. The centre will look into developing effective agri-inputs to yield higher productivity, with an early focus being the development of 100% organic and residue-free solutions to support the region’s date palm farmers.   

Raza Soomar, CEO of RNZ, said: “As our new R&D centre in Abu Dhabi begins to take shape, we are just months away from looking into solving problems for farmers and bringing effective solutions to the market that are relevant in Africa, Asia, and the Gulf. We are proud to be part of Abu Dhabi’s AgTech ecosystem and excited about the possibilities for RNZ’s new R&D hub.”

ADIO will announce further details of its upcoming AgTech deals in the coming months. 

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Vertical Farm Opens First of 20 Planned Facilities

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June 23, 2020

By Greenhouse Canada

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Source: Local Leaf Farms

New Canadian agtech company Local Leaf Farms opened the doors to its new Barrie facility yesterday – the first of 20 planned to open by the end of 2025.

The 10,000 square-foot facility contains 6,500 square feet for production. It grows more than 20 cultivars, including leafy greens such as Romaine, arugula, kale, bok choy, and baby spinach, plus more than a dozen herbs, including basil, cilantro, and parsley.

Local Leaf Farms says they grow local produce that’s fresh, sustainable and fully traceable – addressing concerns by Canadian consumers.

The demand for local

According to an IPSOS study, 68 percent of Canadians say the COVID-19 pandemic has made food safety more important to them, and 47 percent say locally produced food is a top factor driving their purchase decisions. Nearly all Canadians (96 percent) prefer to buy produce grown in Canada, whether in their local community (21 percent), their province (41 percent), or elsewhere in the country (34 percent).

“Canadian consumers are demanding greater transparency about the food they eat. And that demand has never been more urgent,” said Steve Jones, President, and CEO of Local Leaf Farms. “As we begin to consider a post-COVID reality, we need to have real discussions about the stability – and overall future – of food production in this country. Local Leaf is bringing leading-edge technology to the food sector to produce the fresh, safe, and sustainable produce that Canadians are asking for.”

According to Local Leaf, the average package of leafy greens travels 3,000 km before it lands in a shopper’s cart at a Canadian grocery store. The journey can reportedly take up to two weeks, causing produce to lose up to 70 percent of its nutritional value and impacting taste, texture, and flavour.

To reduce the impact, all of Local Leaf Farms’ produce can be found at local grocery stores just hours after it is harvested, not only because of the facilities’ proximity but because it can be delivered directly without passing through distribution centres.

Automated and traceable

Local Leaf also offers a fully traceable food source, with instant access to information about the food from seed to shelf. The company’s proprietary technology and mobile app allow retailers and consumers to know exactly where their produce comes from, including detailed information on how it was grown, when and by whom. With automated technology, Local Leaf is able to employ an entirely local workforce, eliminating the need to rely on migrant labour – a workforce that has faced severe challenges in the face of COVID-19.

Connecting with consumers

“In addition to our year-round production in our vertical farm, our Barrie, Ontario location has converted its 20,000 square foot backyard to an outdoor community garden. This allows identified residents to grow their own food and learn from our agronomist and team in a collaborative environment,” says Local Leaf Farms.

Local Leaf’s facility is also open to the public once every month, allowing local residents to more closely connect with their food.

Eliminating plastic from packaging

In the results of the IPSOS study, more than two in three Canadians (68 percent) say that eliminating plastic from their food packaging is important, and half (51 percent) say they would prefer their leafy greens and herb packages be made of a non-plastic, compostable, plant-based material. In contrast, 21 percent would prefer produce to come packaged in recycled plastic, sometimes referred to as recycled PET.

“That’s why we’re excited to have sourced packaging that is made of non-plastic, compostable, plant-based material for all Local Leaf products,” says the team.

Plans for expansion

Local Leaf’s Barrie location services grocery stores, food service providers, and home meal kit providers within 50km of the farm. All of the produce, which is sold under the My Local Leaf brand, is pesticide- and herbicide-free, non-GMO, and packaged in 100 percent plastic-free compostable packaging. The company is on track to open its next location in Kingston in the coming months – and has a scale goal to launch 20 locations across the country by the end of 2025.

With files from Local Leaf Farms

AEssenseGrows Adds Business Management To Cruise Control Aeroponics

Guardian Cloud Intelligence Visualizes Complete Grow Operations with Cloud-Based Analysis, Accelerating Business Decisions

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 13, 2019 -- AEssenseGrows, an AgTech company specializing in precision automated aeroponic platforms for consistent high-yield plant production, today introduced a new set of business management features that deliver dramatically greater insight to cultivators. The Guardian Cloud Intelligence central management system brings cloud-based data analysis and visualization of complete grow operations to AEssenseGrows’ advanced software platform for automated aeroponic plant growth.

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Adding to “cruise control” grow recipes, the new features help cultivators analyze the costs and revenue of various strain performance—easing the comparison of historic, current grows, and future planning—to determine the most profitable paths in the context of the latest market pricing.

“We’re really excited about the ability to run reports on our grows and cross those with our harvest yields and pricing expectations to determine the big-picture issues we can optimize over time,” said master grower Matthew Willinger, whose operation in Oakland, Calif., uses the AEssenseGrows AEtrium system. “And being able to evaluate the operational cost of a grow-- water, nutrients, labor, electricity--combined with selling prices is a great tool for analyzing the profitability of different grow rooms and strains.”

The AEssenseGrows award-winning AEtrium system delivers sensor-driven cruise-control automation to simplify aeroponics and amplify its inherent benefits. The Guardian Grow Manager central management software executes the exact grow recipe and environmental conditions set by the master cultivator.  Once created, dozens of sensors in every machine report on performance and direct adjustments 24/7 and 365 days per year without hesitation, rest, or fatigue.  Key variables are automatically tuned such as lighting, nutrients, HVAC, and environmental control to maintain the optimal conditions as defined in the master cultivator’s grow recipe.

Guardian Cloud Intelligence now extends the master cultivator’s knowledge with limitless cloud storage and analysis, leading to better decisions at the fingertips of the master cultivator from any convenient location at any time of day. 

Key analysis and features in the Guardian Cloud Intelligence system include:

• Room-level aggregated reporting for unlimited sized rooms. Sensor data can be displayed and reported per harvest by the minute, hour, day, week, quarter or year.

• The availability of unlimited financial data on nutrient usage, water usage, CO2 usage, labor, maintenance, and electrical usage.

• The integration of collected data with the Calendar, enabling all employees and managers to share to-do lists and action items. Users can manage labor operations for their entire facility through an easy to use calendar dashboard. Visually analyze sensor patterns over the days of the calendar. Adjust your work assignments on the fly and have those tie directly back to user assignments.

• Workflow integration and dynamic form extension connect business processes, like reporting and documentation, directly to the operator’s daily activities so it is seamless and easy to follow. Every employee starts their shift with a complete list of their required activities for the day, and this is dynamically updated with changes as required. Completion of the events are all stored and integrated in the analysis in the cloud.

• Market pricing and financial impact reports based on facility metrics and labor integration, produce profitability forecasts based on real-time and projected data.

AEssenseGrows Receives CE Marking For Its Automated Aeroponics Systems

The Markings Confirm That the Company’s AEtrium Grow Systems Meet
the Health, Safety and Environmental Standards Required in Europe

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 13, 2019 -- AEssenseGrows, an AgTech company specializing in precision automated aeroponic platforms for consistent high-yield plant production, announced today that its AEtrium grow systems have received Europe’s CE Marking, ensuring they meet the health, safety and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Economic Area.

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The CE Marking covers both the AEssenseGrows AEtrium-2.1 and AEtrium-4 grow platforms. Last year, the company received similar certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the largest not-for-profit testing laboratory in the world. And the company’s compact high-intensity AErix LED bloom light last year received an Electrical Testing Laboratories (ETL) safety listing, exceeding or surpassing all standards for safety published by UL and other standards bodies.

The AEssenseGrows award-winning AEtrium system delivers sensor-driven cruise-control automation to simplify aeroponics and amplify its inherent benefits.

“The only thing more important to AEssenseGrows than its customers’ success is its customers’ safety,” said Phil Gibson, the company’s vice president of Marketing. “Our team has worked hard to ensure our equipment meets and exceeds all relevant regulatory standards so our customers can focus on winning in the marketplace without having to worry about safety issues”

Also today, AEssenseGrows introduced a new set of business management features that deliver dramatically greater insight to cultivators. The new Guardian Cloud Intelligence central management system brings cloud-based data analysis and visualization of complete grow operations to AEssenseGrows’ advanced software platform for automated aeroponic plant growth.
         

The AEtrium system hardware and software will be on display at the AEssenseGrows booth, C5308, at the MJBizCon show in Las Vegas Dec. 11-13.

More information on the products is available at www.aessensegrows.com.

About AEssenseGrows
AEssenseGrows (pronounced "essence grows"), founded in 2014, is a precision AgTech company based in Sunnyvale, Calif. A recipient of the Red Herring 2019 Top 100 North America award, AEssenseGrows provides accelerated plant growth SmartFarm platforms and software automation delivering pure, zero pesticides, year-round, enriched growth to fresh produce and medicinal plant producers globally. 

With AEssenseGrows, growers can precisely control their production operations at your fingertips from anywhere in the world.  

AEssenseGrows Wins Red Herring­­­­­­ 2019 Top 100 North America Award

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The AgTech Company’s AEtrium System Uses Automation and Precision
to Deliver Superior Aeroponic Quality and Yields

SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 20, 2019 -- AEssenseGrows, an AgTech company specializing in automated precision aeroponic platforms for consistent high-yield plant production, has won Red Herring’s Top 100 North America award, one of the technology industry’s most prestigious prizes. Winners were selected and announced during a Red Herring ceremony last week in Pasadena, Calif.

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CEO Robert Chen receiving the award.

Photo provided by AEssenseGrows

"Of course, human hunger strikes the most vulnerable countries and the poorest, and technology would not meet its paramount objective if it was not addressing this issue as well,” said Red Herring Chairman Alex Vieux. Vieux said CEO Robert Chen and AEssenseGrows “have demonstrated that tomorrow, one could put an end to this drama which every year kills millions. Increasing the food supply and multiplying agricultural output, offsetting weather uncertainties--all this combined in one concept deserves utmost attention.

“As a result,” Vieux said, “AEssenseGrows has received the Red Herring Top 100 2019 Award and will continue to expand across the globe."

“We at AEssenseGrows appreciate that Red Herring’s judges see the same value in our products that we see—a unique combination of technology and agricultural sciences that can help feed the world,” said Chen. “We’re extremely proud to stand alongside so many other innovators and game-changers in accepting this award.”

The AEssenseGrows AEtrium system delivers sensor-driven automation to simplify aeroponics and amplify its inherent benefits. The company's Guardian Grow Manager central management software monitors grow conditions 24/7 and, if needed, automatically adjusts key variables such as lighting and nutrients to maintain optimal conditions.

The Top 100 companies were chosen from thousands of entrants, Red Herring said, and the companies were judged by industry experts, insiders and journalists on a wide variety of criteria including financial performance, innovation, business strategy, and market penetration. The complete list of winners can be found on the Red Herring website.

In addition to produce, the AEssenseGrows aeroponics system is increasingly being used to grow cannabis and hemp. Last year, Ackrell Capital selected AEssenseGrows as one of the firm's Top 100 Private Cannabis Companies for 2018.

About AEssenseGrows
           

AEssenseGrows (pronounced "essence grows"), founded in 2014, is a precision AgTech company based in Sunnyvale, CA.  AEssenseGrows provides accelerated plant growth SmartFarm platforms and software automation delivering pure, zero pesticide, year-round, enriched growth to fresh produce and medicinal plant producers globally. 

With AEssenseGrows, you can precisely control your production operations at your fingertips from anywhere in the world.