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BrightFarms Launches “BrightLabs” Innovation Hub
BrightFarms, the leading grower of indoor leafy greens, today announced the formation of BrightLabs, a world-class innovation and research hub launching at its Ohio growing facility
BrightFarms Accelerates Indoor Farming Innovation Tenfold with the Formation of R&D Hub Led by Bayer Veteran and Greenhouse Expert “BrightLabs” will expand the company’s focus on the development of biotechnologies that increase the profitability of its indoor farming operations and deliver breakthrough product innovations
IRVINGTON, N.Y. – BrightFarms, the leading grower of indoor leafy greens, today announced the formation of BrightLabs, a world-class innovation and research hub launching at its Ohio growing facility. Matt Lingard, PhD, a former Bayer plant scientist with over 15 years of experience working at the intersection of biotechnology and greenhouse science, will lead the BrightLabs team as Vice President of Agriculture and Science.
“The indoor farming industry is at an inflection point as local, indoor-farmed produce becomes a priority for retailers and consumers. Among competitors, we’ve developed the most profitable model for the production of indoor leafy greens, but it’s essential that we maintain our market advantage to stay ahead of the curve,” said Steve Platt, BrightFarms CEO. “We’ve built up a team of the best minds in indoor agriculture to officially launch BrightLabs, where we’ll develop the next phase of game-changing products and technology solutions for our operations.”
BrightLabs is one of the most advanced biotechnology ventures in the indoor farming industry, with a key focus on developing proprietary & patented ecosystems for plants to thrive, increasing their flavor, yields and texture in the process. The team will be comprised of the strongest minds from the food and agriculture industry, bringing together experts in technology, microbiology and plant science to deliver breakthrough innovations in the salad category and beyond.
“No other indoor farming company is studying a plant’s microbiome, the naturally occurring bacteria that help determine its health, to the same degree that we are,” said Lingard. “Instead of pouring dollars into artificial lighting research, we’re developing cutting-edge biotechnology solutions to out-maneuver our competition with the most productive indoor farms in the industry. There’s no question that high-tech greenhouses that leverage natural sunshine have emerged as the most promising new generation of agriculture technologies, and optimizing the microbiome will allow us to unlock even more of a plant’s natural potential in our indoor farms.”
This multi-million dollar R&D investment is launching as part of the company’s $100MM Series E Fundraise led by Cox Enterprises, and represents a tenfold increase in the company’s research capabilities. Ten percent of the company is now dedicated to developing complex, patented growing solutions to be applied to BrightFarms’ burgeoning network of greenhouses.
Already known for proprietary research on growing spinach in a hydroponic system, BrightLabs aims to double its production of the crop, which is the industry’s best-selling tender leaf variety. BrightFarms will also build on the success of its best-selling Sunny Crunch variety with a new, industry-first antioxidant-rich lettuce, NutriGreens, set for release this June. BrightOS, the company’s award-winning proprietary data system, will help the BrightLabs team accelerate their research with machine learning and advanced data analysis.
BrightFarms’ five greenhouses – located in Ohio, Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina – cover 1.2 million square feet and produce 9 million pounds of fresh lettuce annually. By the end of 2021, BrightFarms leafy greens will be available at over 3,500 stores, more than any indoor farming company in the industry.
To learn more about BrightFarms and their fresh produce offerings, visit www.brightfarms.com.
About BrightFarms
BrightFarms is the leading provider of locally grown packaged salads, serving the freshest, tastiest and most responsibly grown produce to consumers nationwide. BrightFarms operates hydroponic greenhouse farms in the communities it serves, enabling it to eliminate time, distance, and costs from the food supply chain. BrightFarms’ growing methods, a model for the future of scalable, sustainable local farming, use far less energy, land, and water than long-distance, field-grown agriculture. Forbes has recognized BrightFarms as one of the “100 Most Consumer-Centric Companies” and Fast Company has recognized BrightFarms as “One of World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” and one of the “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Food.” BrightFarms is funded by leading investors Cox Enterprises, Catalyst Investors, WP Global Partners and NGEN Partners. For more information, please visit www.brightfarms.com.
Netherlands: Additional Research Facilities At Delphy
The facility has now been extended with the addition of two climate cells.
For years, Delphy Improvement Centre in Bleijswijk and Certhon have shared the same ambition: to contribute to global solutions in the field of health, food safety and sustainability, through knowledge sharing and knowledge development. This is reflected in the Improvement Centre, which was opened a few years ago and has been used for various research projects since. The facility has now been extended with the addition of two climate cells.
Following the research facilities in the greenhouse, Delphy wanted to make an in-depth study of research and research methods. With the two climate cells realized by Certhon last summer, Delphy can gain more knowledge about daylight-free cultivation and physiological aspects of plants. This knowledge can also be applied in the greenhouse.
The two climate cells can be found in the reception area of the research centre. The doors of the cells are equipped with two small windows, so visitors can see which test set-up with which crops are inside. A few weeks ago, the first tomato and cucumber plants were placed and the research started. During the cultivation process there will be frequent consultation between Delphy and Certhon, to share advice and knowledge.
For more information:
Certhon
www.certhon.com
Publication date : 12/17/2018
Hein van der Sande Opens Certhon Innovation Centre
Hein van der Sande Opens Certhon Innovation Centre
"The Innovation Centre is going to teach us a lot"
On Thursday 31 May, the Certhon Innovation Centre was officially opened by Hans Hoogeveen, Ambassador at the UN organizations for Food and Agriculture (FAO, WFP and IFAD) in Rome. With this center, the greenhouse builder responds to the need to produce food worldwide, in every place on earth and 365 days a year. There are more and more mouths to feed. Hein van der Sande: "The main aim is to achieve a significant increase in production."
Hein continued: "In addition, the water can be recirculated completely. Moreover, crop protection products are not needed if you cultivate in this manner. So this method of cultivation fits in perfectly with the policy of the supermarkets. Supermarkets are getting ever stricter requirements to the use of crop protection products. We have already learned a lot, but we're going to learn a lot more. We are going for it, and I look to the future with confidence."
The Innovation Centre is a 240 m2 greenhouse construction with insulation panels. Different cultivation methods and multi-layer cultivation are tested here. The cultivation is computer-controlled. And, last but not least, robots are going to be used. "Because that too is one of the aspects that makes progress worldwide: Technology will increasingly replace simple labor."
In the Certhon Innovation Centre, research is being done into crops in which Certhon has expectations in various climates, humidity, and light recipes. Hein van der Sande, CEO at Certhon: “With the knowledge, we gain from the Innovation Centre, we can give our customers and partners optimal advice for maximum results. The first studies we started in the facility with herbs, tomato, sweet pepper, strawberry and raspberry plants already gave promising results and a delicious harvest!”
Certhon did not devise this alone. Philips, Rijk Zwaan, Delphy, Wageningen UR and Koppert Biological Systems are part of this project. Hein van der Sande: "We see opportunities for the future of Dutch horticulture. We are faced with a new challenge, and we are keen to take it on. Certhon's innovative genes recognize opportunities."
Mr. Hoogeveen, ambassador and permanent representative at the UN organizations for Food and Agriculture (FAO, WFP, and IFAD) in Rome, addressed the audience: "It is a great honor to be standing here. We are proud of the Dutch horticulture sector. We notice that, everywhere in the world, Dutch horticulture is closely followed. Parties would like to cooperate with us on this level. We do not realize sufficiently the golden opportunities that this gives us. With the results of this center, everyone can produce good and nutrition-rich food thanks to conditioned cultivation. There is a need for that. After all, more and more people are going hungry. Growers have the need to be supported globally. Especially the growers in Africa are badly in need of our support."
After the speeches of Van der Sande and Hoogeveen, the guests were given the opportunity to head to the Innovation Centre. Explanations, questions, and admiration all over.
For more information:
Certhon
+31 (0)174-225080
www.certhon.com
info@certhon.com
Publication date: 6/5/2018
Author: Mark Mandemakers
Copyright: www.hortidaily.com