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Why Did IKEA Invest in AeroFarms and What is Next For This New Agrifood Tech Investor?
In October, New Jersey indoor farming group AeroFarms announced that is had closed its Series D round on $40 million with a new, eye-catching investor in Swedish furniture giant IKEA Group.
Why Did IKEA Invest in AeroFarms and What is Next For This New Agrifood Tech Investor?
DECEMBER 4, 2017 | EMMA COSGROVE
In October, New Jersey indoor farming group AeroFarms announced that is had closed its Series D round on $40 million with a new, eye-catching investor in Swedish furniture giant IKEA Group.
The investment is part and parcel of an initiative at IKEA, also famous for bringing Swedish food to a global audience, to reimagine its food program with sustainability as the driving force, helmed by managing director of IKEA Food Services Michael la Cour.
IKEA’s iconic meatballs and packaged food products are headed for a shake-up, says la Cour, so we caught up with him to find out what’s in store and how startups might play a role. So far, this year, IKEA has participated in the AeroFarms Series D (through its entity IKEA Group) and the company has also invited Israeli fruit fly farm and insect protein startup Flying SpArk to join IKEA’s first boot camp and startup accelerator in September. IKEA is also a shareholder in Swedish plant-based meat and dairy alternative food manufacturer BoFood (through IKEA Greentech).
You said at the Sustainology Summit that we can expect radical change to the IKEA food program, which sounds to me like nothing is off the table. Is that right?
That’s absolutely right. At IKEA, we’re interested in everything our customers are interested in. And if you look at the food business, I think it’s undergoing a radical change, isn’t it? I think you see a lot of interesting movement in the food business from a retail perspective — new ideas that are popping up, cross-collaborations from celebrity chefs to the more mass-based food industry. I think it would be absolutely foolish to exclude anything at this point.
That’s the way we’ve approached the furniture side as well, and how we work with innovation. It’s by always trying to think with ambition, and being at the forefront of things, and collaboration is the absolute key in this, and that’s what we’re going to apply to the food business, as well.
With that in mind, how are you prioritizing the changes you plan to make? Are you using sustainability and environmental issues as your priorities, or are you using your own food sales as your guide?
Health and sustainability throughout the value chain is what guides us. It should be evident in the range we offer. It should be evident in how we develop things, and it should be evident in how we ultimately source things, as well. Now, this is, of course, a journey. We’re in the early stages of it, but it’s those things that sort of become our priority in everything that we do.
Michael la Cour
I think the IKEA Group investment in AeroFarms, is one such example on how to, in early stages, invest in vertical farming that would significantly change the environmental impact, let’s say, of how we would get fresh produce to a store in the future. I think even Flying SpArk, as well, is such one example.
It may be early days for mass consumption of fruit flies as a protein, but it’s in these early days that I believe companies like ourselves with 660 million customers every year through our food program need to step in.
Is investing in early-stage companies the way you plan on interacting with startups that in the future?
Yeah, absolutely, and I think we’ll find out. The startup IKEA Greentech invested in recently, BoFood in Sweden, is the first pilot. I think as we learn, we will start to understand at what stage of a startup is most suitable for working with us and how to define, in the early stages, the scalability opportunities. But again, when it comes to sustainability and health, we firmly believe that startups and mid-sized companies are the way forward for us.
We’ve also, for the first time, tried to sort of act like an incubator and see where that leads, so it’s a test and trial, if you will, for us as well, on how to incorporate that into a bigger machine more seamlessly, without having to go in and acquire and so on, but utilizing the resources we have, the investment capabilities and funding. That’s what we bring to it and they bring the innovation, the spirit, and the great ideas.
How deep do you expect or plan these relationships to go? Do you intend to, or can you imagine eventually being a customer or an acquirer?
Yes. I think actually we can operate on that whole scale, but I would always aim for a healthy split on that. I think there is a business opportunity in being a company that can facilitate startups, the corporation will launch products in the store directly. That scalability within a short timeline is our number one priority. At the same time, I also believe very much in pairing up with startups, tech companies, and on backward in our supply chain, which we are currently restructuring.
There are a lot of companies out there who make consumer hydroponic grow units that are the size of a wine fridge. And there are also companies out there making restaurant and retail installations using that technology. Why did you choose to go for a seller of food, and not a seller of growing systems?
Well, I think it’s more a matter of just what came first, really. IKEA actually launched a home cultivation product that enables you to do this in your own home.
Now, when it comes to the installation in the stores, we do have actual discussions on whether we can do it. The thing is that with the enormous flow of customers that we have in an average store, we have to find the practical way of doing this.
We would not do it only for show, but try to find a structure where it would actually work.
What is IKEA doing on the problem of food waste?
When it comes to food waste, we identified some years back that with 660 billion customers, of course, we can make a major impact. When you think about the business in general, there are a lot of things we can do, not just from a food perspective, but we sell food containers, we actually sell appliances.
I think the overall UN goal is 50% reduction of food waste by 2030, and we’ve tried to be more ambitious and reduce all our waste in our restaurants and bistros by 50% by 2020, knowing that some of the restaurants operate in more immature markets concerning food waste handling.
To help us with that, we have engaged with Winnow and LeanPath. Basically, it’s software that helps us to identify what we’re throwing away. It describes what we’re throwing away, it helps the awareness of our workers tremendously, and it’s also already in some of the stores, brought us down to very close to our goal.
Was food waste what brought you around to being interested in Flying SpArk?
Put it like this: food waste of course is an essential area to address, not only because it’s actually an unnecessary waste of 30% of all calories produced, but there is a need to feed a lot more people in the future, and that also means that you need to actually look for alternative proteins to what you have today. When we add the process of applications, I think it was some 1,000 companies, not food companies only by any means, but it was about 1,000 companies that applied to IKEA to be part of the bboot campinitiative. This was the one that stood out from an alternative protein perspective.
The startup Flying SpArk applied, and they caught our eyes with the product proposal. It wasn’t the first thing that came to my mind when we talk alternative proteins. I’ve seen, like most people, the different grasshoppers and what you see out there, but this was a new take.
Is your interest in alternative proteins driving you toward a more plant-based menu? Are meatballs in danger?
I think what we see is that the direction of health and sustainability to me does not mean that we diverge completely from meat. For me, it means we start moving towards a much wider and much more exciting offering of plant-based products.
So what are the areas that you’re most interested in for the next like year? What are you looking at right now?
Yeah. I cannot really reveal what we’re looking at right now, but I can tell you in general terms what we’re interested in. I think meat alternatives is a major area that we are very, very interested in. There are of course already a few bigger players in the market.
I think there is both space and need for more than that. I do believe that the area of meat replacements, meat substitutes, is the area that we need to develop. Meat consumption has such a major footprint when it comes to CO2 gas emissions. We need to find alternatives that are still delicious, appealing, and that we can get in at price points that customers will by nature choose because they’re just as good if not better. So I see a huge need there to get players in and get supply up. The demand is there I believe, but the supply is what we need to get up very, very quickly. That is for me the absolute major movement that I would like to move and engage with in the short-term.
Skyscraper Farms Could Be The Answer To The Global Food Crisis
Mainstream agricultural practices have a few major problems in need of innovative solutions. For one, industrial farming practices are hard on the environment. Farms emitted 6 billion tons of greenhouse gases in 2011, or about 13 percent of total global emissions
Source: PLANTAGON
Skyscraper Farms Could Be The Answer To The Global Food Crisis
BY TESSA LOVE
November 6, 2017
Mainstream agricultural practices have a few major problems in need of innovative solutions. For one, industrial farming practices are hard on the environment. Farms emitted 6 billion tons of greenhouse gases in 2011, or about 13 percent of total global emissions. That makes the agricultural sector the world’s second-largest emitter, after the energy sector. Additionally, 38 percent of the world’s total land area was used for agriculture in 2007 and agriculture is responsible for over 70 percent of global freshwater consumption.
On top of that, the way we grow our food now is not sustainable to feed a growing global population, which is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. We'd have to use more land, more environmentally harmful farming practices and ship more food across continents and the globe, particularly to reach people in concentrated urban centers. In short, it's not realistic. And facing this fact, we have to come up with better solutions.
Swedish company Plantagon believes they may have found an answer. The company has developed plans for "plantscrapers," massive vertical greenhouses meant for growing large-scale organic farms in cities, using less energy and and a smaller carbon footprint than the way we grow food now.
The "plantscraper" is exactly what it sounds like: a futuristic-looking glass skyscraper filled with an indoor farm and some office space for the workers. After years of research and development, Plantagon is now working to make its first prototype a reality: the company is currently crowdsourcing funds to construct a 16-story building called The World Food Building in Linköping, Sweden, which would serve as an international model for industrial urban farming.
The prototype—and all subsequent plantscrapers—would use Plantagon-patented technology to produce 500 metric tons of food every year in a climate-controlled environment. Half the energy used in food production would be recycled and used to heat the floors in the office portion of the building. Plantagon estimates that it could save 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 50 million liters of water compared to traditional farming methods.
Urban farming has long been looked to as a potential solution to our impending global food crisis. But until now, urban farming has been on a much smaller and more localized scale. Plantagon wants to change that.
"Our vertical farming technology is a solution to the food crisis caused by our human population growing so rapidly," the company said in a press release. "We are growing, the earth is not and vertical farming will make the difference."
Bringing Sustainable Farming Home
Bringing Sustainable Farming Home
I say farming, you say “Midwest”. It’s no secret that the Midwest, and Indiana in particular, serve as the agricultural epicenter for the United States.
Indiana is also home to Purdue University, a school who’s agricultural and technology programs serve as cornerstones for the institution. It is only fitting then that their students are behind Hydro Grow: an innovative blend of farming and technology that ushers in new-age growing.
Hydro Grow has created a commercialized hydroponic grow tank that is designed to fit seamlessly into the average home. This tank can be customized to grow the produce desired by the consumer, directly impacting the supply/demand chain of food production. Rather than settling for the produce items that are in season, or wasting money and soil on vegetables that no one will buy, Hydro Grow’s Gropod generates a tailored harvest.
In one of their most recent iterations, the Hydro Grow team has further integrated technology into the pod, equipping it with advanced analytics capabilities. Using complex algorithms, the pod will identify what plants are growing within and tailor the environment to maximize growth, making real-time adjustments based on the data stream. A mobile application allows remote monitoring, adjustments, cleaning and alerts to reach the user no matter when and no matter where.
This innovative approach to farming not only allows a family to have a tailored produce selection but contributes to the overall sustainability initiative. The ability to shrink and mass produce a practical solution to hunger has wide-ranging implications for a variety of global issues, including world hunger. It allows plants to find a nurturing environment in even the harshest of climates.
Connected farming is just one of the many ways IoT is disrupting established industries. Learn more at our IndyIoT Conference!
Clare Maher
Clare Maher is the Product Marketing Manager at ClearObject. A graduate of Saint Mary’s College (#gobelles), Clare can usually be found yelling at the screen during a Notre Dame game, quoting any film ever made or touring the Indy restaurant scene.
This Robot Handles The Entire Process Of Growing Lettuce By Itself
This Robot Handles The Entire Process Of Growing Lettuce By Itself
By Adele Peters/ Nov 30, 2017
A new indoor farming startup called Iron Ox wants to staff its greenhouses with only automated workers.
![[Photo: Iron Ox]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57c8695d5016e11e71be1d83/1512238940204-YRF2JT2GH38RGEHW4IP3/p-1-this-startup-uses-robots-to-plant-move-and-harvest.gif)
[Photo: Iron Ox]
Inside a warehouse in the middle of the suburban office sprawl of San Carlos, a Silicon Valley town south of San Francisco, hundreds of heads of lettuce and herbs grow next to a mobile robot designed to move the plants as they get bigger. In a lab next door, engineers tweak robots that can handle every part of the growing process, from planting seeds to packaging harvested heads of lettuce for a grocery store.
By early 2018, Iron Ox, the startup behind the R&D farm, plans to open an 8,000 square foot production farm nearby–all fully automated, in a system that the company says can make local, pesticide-free food production as cheap as traditional agriculture in the field.
![[Photo: Iron Ox]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57c8695d5016e11e71be1d83/1512238951054-WHRTBM7KKFCHZ6T8DLJC/i-1-this-startup-uses-robots-to-plant-move-and-harvest.jpg)
[Photo: Iron Ox]
When the co-founders decided to launch the startup, one was working on delivery drones at Alphabet’s X, and the other was building room service robots for hotels. They liked the work but wanted to do more with the available technology. “Robotics has come so far in the past few years–sensors have gotten cheaper, software has become more robust,” says co-founder and CEO Brandon Alexander. “We felt that we could be doing something with more impact.”
[Photo: Iron Ox]
They saw an opportunity in food production, where traditional farming faces multiple challenges. Most lettuce, for example, is grown in California and Arizona, two states that face an increasing risk of water shortages and stress from heat as the climate changes. A head of lettuce may be treated with nine different pesticides before it’s harvested and then shipped hundreds or thousands of miles across the country to consumers. As fewer people want to work on farms, producers also struggle with labor shortages.
Indoor farming, which uses a tiny fraction of the water and space, doesn’t require pesticides, and can happen within cities or suburbs, is often billed as a solution. But as Alexander and co-founder Jon Binney researched the market, they realized that cost was a challenge. “We loved the idea [of greenhouses],” Alexander says. “But our question was, if this is so much better, why is most produce grown outdoors? The biggest thing we found was that it costs significantly more–at least twice as much–to grow a head of lettuce indoors than outdoors.”
Other companies, such as Plenty–another farming startup based in Silicon Valley, which grows greens in vertical towers and recently raised $200 million in funding–say that it can produce lettuce at a cost that is competitive with traditional farms. Plenty uses a layout that maximizes yield in small spaces, and notes that the cost of key components for growing, like LED lights, have dropped dramatically. But Iron Ox’s approach is to focus on removing another cost: labor, which for some growers, can account for 50% of the cost of production.
Some greenhouse-grown lettuce might cost $3.99 now, versus $1.99 for the same head of lettuce from the field. “At the end of the day, if you’re always going to have to cost more, then you’re going to be this niche product,” says Alexander. “For the impact that we’re after, one of the biggest things for us is we need to make this produce accessible. Accessible doesn’t just mean affordable–that’s part of it–but it’s affordable and available. Ideally to everybody.”
In the company’s system, a robotic arm plants seeds in a tightly-packed tray, where the seeds germinate in nutrient-filled water. As the plants get bigger, the arm can transplant them to a tray with more space, and then transplant them again a couple of weeks later. Moving the plants maximizes the number of plants that can grow in a tight space.
The robotic arm also uses a camera to scan each plant and note any problems. “We can actually observe is it the right size, is it the right color, does it have any pest pressure or mildew or anything like that,” he says. Plants with mildew, which can easily spread, can be automatically removed. The robots can use machine learning over time to optimize how the plants are grown.
[Photo: Iron Ox]
The new production farm won’t be the first to grow lettuce with an automated system; a massive new factory in Japan uses robots to grow millions of heads of lettuce a year. But the new system in Silicon Valley is less like a traditional factory, and more flexible.
“That [Japanese farm] works well for a set process: ‘we’re going to grow this type of lettuce in this way, and we’re going to do that for the next 20 years,'” Alexander says. “We try to go with as little infrastructure as possible. All we really need is a concrete floor, at the end of the day. All of our modules, these hydroponic pallets, are portable. We have a mobile robot.” If the company later wants to use a slightly more efficient layout, or change its operation, it can make those changes through software.
As the first production farm in San Carlos scales up, the startup will sell to local chefs with an interest in the company’s sustainability; once output is high enough, it will sell to grocery stores. Ultimately, the company envisions building farms near consumers across the country, so someone shopping at a grocery store in Atlanta no longer buys week-old greens from California. It also plans to expand to other crops.
“We don’t want to be just a leafy green farm, at the end of the day,” says Alexander. “That is our initial focus–we want to nail that, we think that’s important to solve– but with our approach, this robotic system, we would like to be a fresh produce farm.”
Akron-Based Vigeo Gardens Nets Produce Deal With Quicken Loans Arena
Vincent Peterson, Mark Preston and Jacob Craine started Akron-based Vigeo Gardens as a small hydroponic garden in Craine's basement in 2014. It has quickly grown into a 6,100-square-foot, high-efficiency vertical farm with 2017 sales set to exceed $750,000.
Akron-Based Vigeo Gardens Nets Produce Deal With Quicken Loans Arena
December 3, 2017
Genovese basil grows beneath LED lights at Vigeo Gardens in downtown Akron. The indoor farm provides hydroponic lettuce, hydroponic basil and microgreens to more than 40 restaurants in the Cleveland and Columbus markets, along with major food distributors, grocery stores such as Heinen's and Giant Eagle, and most recently, Quicken Loans Arena. (Vigeo Gardens)
By Megan Becka, special to cleveland.com
AKRON, Ohio - Vincent Peterson, Mark Preston, and Jacob Craine started Akron-based Vigeo Gardens as a small hydroponic garden in Craine's basement in 2014. It has quickly grown into a 6,100-square-foot, high-efficiency vertical farm with 2017 sales set to exceed $750,000.
Vigeo Gardens currently occupies the third floor of the former B.F. Goodrich Company tire factory in downtown Akron, and provides hydroponic lettuce, hydroponic basil and microgreens to more than 40 restaurants in the Cleveland and Columbus markets, along with major food distributors, grocery stores such as Heinen's and Giant Eagle, and most recently, Quicken Loans Arena.
"To be able to supply the home of the Cavs is a dream come true and will hopefully open up a lot of doors for us," Craine said.
The deal took about three months to secure, and the first shipment of lettuce, basil and microgreens will arrive at the arena on Monday, according to Vigeo Gardens Director of Sales John Hairston.
Vigeo founders Peterson, Preston, and Craine, along with five full-time employees, grow more than eight varieties of lettuce and 20 types of microgreens at their indoor farm, as well as basil and wheat grass. According to Craine, indoor farming offers several benefits, including being able to grow and harvest produce year-round, without the use of pesticides or chemicals.
Vigeo Gardens' lettuce and basil are harvested the same day they ship and sold live, which means the produce can last for up to two weeks in the fridge or longer.
"It's as fresh as you can possibly get," he said.
The farm is also on a mission to refine and grow its operation, using the least resources possible.
"We've spent the last two years designing, developing and tweaking the systems to perfect vertical hydroponic farms," Craine said. "Everything in our space is designed, engineered and built by us."
Innovations include designing a vertical racking system to house the plants and a custom nutrient solution. The trio also worked with a Chinese manufacturer to create custom LED lights.
The farm is working to be waste-free by 2018 through composting and waste-water recycling initiatives and is working with FirstEnergy to become the first zero-carbon footprint farm in Ohio.
"Our goal is to expand throughout the Rust Belt, because there is a need for fresh produce all the time, especially during winter months. We'd like to continue our work repurposing old factories, like we have here in Akron, into high-efficiency vertical farms to supply communities with fresh produce," Craine said.
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Panasonic Singapore Starts Supply to Tong Chiang Group With Crops From Its Indoor Agriculture Farm
Panasonic Singapore Starts Supply to Tong Chiang Group With Crops From Its Indoor Agriculture Farm
The FINANCIAL -- Panasonic Singapore has started supplying its locally-harvested produce from their indoor agriculture facility to Tong Chiang Group.
The premium Japanese crop varieties include green leafy lettuce; red leafy lettuce; mizuna; mini red radish; mustard wasabi; and a range of microgreens which are cultivated in Singapore's first licensed indoor vegetable farm. These crops will be selectively incorporated into the catering menus of Tong Chiang Group's portfolio of food services.
Due to the shortage of arable land, 90% of Singapore's green leafy vegetables come from overseas. Hence, Panasonic aims to contribute to Singapore's self-sufficiency levels of vegetables by increasing the supply of local produce. Since the inception of the agriculture business, the company has increased its facility from 258m2 to 1154 m2 with plans for further expansion. Panasonic is also strengthening its research and development efforts to expand its crop variants to include seasonal fruits, according to Panasonic.
Paul Wong, Managing Director, Panasonic Singapore, said, "One of our core growth strategies of the agriculture business is to expand our commercial partnerships with local food providers. Tong Chiang Group shares our vision in promoting Singapore's vision of increasing its self-sufficiency in agriculture and we are happy to supply our crops to them. With this, Panasonic furthers our commitment to a better life and a better world by improving the quality and freshness of local produce."
Vegetables are harvested and delivered fresh from the indoor agriculture farm to Tong Chiang Group's central kitchen, ensuring quality and freshness of the crops.
Lisa Zou, Chief Executive Officer, Tong Chiang Group commented, "Tong Chiang Group prides ourselves in offering healthy and delicious meals for Singaporean families. With rising demands for healthier food options in the local market, we look forward to working with Panasonic in delivering fresh and nutritious vegetables to our customers. The crops are locally harvested and pesticides-free, allowing our customers to enjoy healthy eating with a peace of mind."
Looking ahead, Panasonic will continue promoting to increase the level of self-sufficiency of leafy vegetables in Singapore. As one of the leading factory automation solutions providers, Panasonic is committed to design and develop indoor agriculture solutions to meet market demand for stable and sustainable production of locally-harvested premium crops.
'Vertical Farm' Ceres Greens Set To Open In Barre, Vermont
'Vertical Farm' Ceres Greens Set To Open In Barre, Vermont
Wed, 11/22/2017
Vermont Business Magazine
Construction is underway at Vermont’s first vertical farm, which is designed to grow leafy greens and herbs. Ceres Greens is set to open in January 2018, growing fresh produce year-round in their newly constructed 12,500-square-foot space. Founders Jacob Isham and Greg Kelly have spent the past 14 months perfecting the technology and methods needed for growing produce indoors in a controlled environment.
Jacob Isham and Greg Kelly, Ceres, Greens, Barre. Courtesy photo.
“Our purpose is to help meet the food security challenges we face,” said Isham. “While Vermont is an agricultural state, we still import about 90% of our produce, even in the summertime. Our ability to grow and deliver fresh produce every day of the year will help towards the goal of more locally grown food. We grow using organic, GMO-free seeds, purified water, and without the use of any pesticides.”
The company uses its proprietary grow system, sensors and automated computer controls to create the ideal environment, delivering the precise amount of light, nutrients, constant temperature and humidity to grow its produce.
“Very delicious, as if it came right out of your own garden,” states Kelly. “Our produce will be one day old, having traveled no more than 100 miles when delivered to our customers, as opposed to produce currently available being 7-10 days old and having traveled upwards of 3,000 miles. When we are at full production, our customers, in addition to enjoying tasty locally grown produce, will be pleased knowing they are contributing to saving 100 barrels of oil a month from being burned and the associated carbon being emitted into the atmosphere.”
Isham, a service-disabled veteran of the U.S. Army, is an alumnus of the Veterans to Farmers controlled environment agriculture program in Colorado and intends to provide job training and opportunities in horticulture to fellow veterans in Vermont. Ceres Greens is owned and operated as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business.
Kelly, with 35 years of technical experience, has spent the last two years developing the company’s vertical farming system.
Source: Ceres Greens www.ceresgreens.com
NATUFIA Kitchen Garden, Your Connected Garden In Your Kitchen.
Natufia brings you its own solution thanks to its "NATUFIA Kitchen Garden". In the same concept as these wine cellar fridges, the NATUFIA Kitchen Garden is a wardrobe. A cupboard equipped with a whole system of filtration and pot which will welcome various vegetables.
NATUFIA Kitchen Garden, Your Connected Garden In Your Kitchen.
TOPICS: 3GHerbConnectedGardenVegetableNATUFIA Kitchen GardenWirelessWiFiWireless
POSTED BY: DAVID PERUCH JANUARY 10, 2017
Present at the Las Vegas show, this company offers a concept for the least original. That of having his own garden in his kitchen. Like a wine cellar device, the company offers NATUFIA Kitchen Garden.
You are a fan of fresh vegetables, but you do not always have time to go to the primeur near you. And unfortunately, you do not have the space to make your own vegetable garden.
Natufia brings you its own solution thanks to its "NATUFIA Kitchen Garden". In the same concept as these wine cellar fridges, the NATUFIA Kitchen Garden is a wardrobe. A cupboard equipped with a whole system of filtration and pot which will welcome various vegetables.
The NATUFIA Kitchen Garden is also equipped with light sources that will have the effect of generating the brightness needed for your vegetables to grow well. Equipped with a multitude of sensors, the NATUFIA Kitchen Garden will be able to analyze the ecosystem in real time.
Equipped with Wi-Fi, all this information can be transmitted directly to the owner's smartphone.
The company also offers its own seeds to ripen in the form of small capsules similar to coffee capsules of the well-known brand which Georges Clooney loves. Among these seeds are a whole collection of condiments.
Thus, you will be able to "plant" parsley, sauce, tomatoes, salad, chamomile and many more. The company offers a variety of 17 condiments for a price of around one euro per capsule.
Capsules that will be available for purchase directly from his online store. For the cabinet "NATUFIA Kitchen Garden", it gets a little rough. Indeed, you will have to pay not far from 13 000 € to acquire and put in place this having connected to the connected garden in your kitchen.
A product that could eventually become a product for the least interesting. Especially for all those who live in apartments. Or who do not have the opportunity to grow their own vegetables in their garden.
Swedish Company Builds Food-Laden ‘Plantscaper’ to Feed the Cities of The Future
Many researchers, politicians, and members of the public are worried that we’ll see dire shortages in the wake of such spectacular population increases. Perhaps most worryingly of which are the looming threats of food and water scarcity, likely to be compounded by climate change and greater migration towards urban centers.
Swedish Company Builds Food-Laden ‘Plantscaper’ to Feed the Cities of The Future
LAST UPDATED ON NOVEMBER 28TH, 2017 AT 6:45 PM BY ALEXANDRU MICU
Swedish company Plantagon is tackling the world’s food problems through ‘agritecture’, a combination of architecture, technology, and agriculture. The first of their projects, a massive vertical greenhouse or “plantscaper”, is set to open in 2020.
Artist’s concept of a plantscaper.
Image via Plantagon.
There are over 7.5 billion people living today, a number that’s expected to skyrocket to 10 billion in the next 30 or so years. Many researchers, politicians, and members of the public are worried that we’ll see dire shortages in the wake of such spectacular population increases. Perhaps most worryingly of which are the looming threats of food and water scarcity, likely to be compounded by climate change and greater migration towards urban centers.
For many of us, these shortages have yet to make an appearance, and it would be just dandy if things stayed this course. To be blunt, however, for that to happen we’ll need to grow much more food than we do today, and we’ll need to grow it more efficiently, especially in regards to water usage. One Sweedish-based company named Plantagon is working today so we’ll have solid footing when dealing with the issues of tomorrow.
Their solution involves dotting urban landscapes with huge vertical farms called “plantscapers”, crop-laden skyscrapers that can feed thousands of city dwellers each year.
The concept of Plantagon’s vertical greenhouses is the brainchild of Swedish innovator Åke Olsson. A passionate organic farmer, Olsson needed to get more surface out of his croplands. So, he designed a rack transport system which slowly cycles planting boxes from the floor of a vertical greenhouse to its ceiling, so he didn’t have to use any artificial light. Shortly after Plantagon International AB and the Plantagon International Association were founded in 2008, they bought the design from Olsson.
Image via Plantagon.
Plantscapers use the same concept but on a much taller scale, mixed in with a hearty helping of hydroponics to keep everything growing. They resemble high-rise office buildings that churn out delicious veggies instead of water cooler conversations and stressful deadlines. The first plantscaper, The World Food Building, is already under construction in Linköping, Sweden. The 16-story building is estimated to cost around $40 million and should be ready to open sometime in 2020.
The WFB’s layout allows for far more output relative to its surface area than a conventional farm. The building is expected to produce about 550 tons of vegetables annually, which according to the company should be enough to feed roughly 5,000 people. The plants will be grown in watery, nutrient-rich substrates. All factors and growing conditions, from water to nutrition, sunlight, temperature, and air quality will be monitored autonomously, to make sure everything is perfect for the plants and that waste is minimized.
Maintenance and harvesting jobs will similarly be performed by autonomous systems, Plantagon CEO Hans Hassle told Business Insider, likely in a bid to keep costs down. Plantagon hopes their autonomous systems and urban setting will lower transportation, production, and energy costs enough to make the ‘scrapers a sustainable solution to feeding the community. Additionally, the building will help save 1000 metric tons of CO2 emissionsand 50 million liters of water that a conventional farm uses for the same amount of food.
Of course, these figures will have to be verified after the WFB is completed, and any eventual teething problems are solved. Still, the plantscaper concept does seem to be a hit so far (I admit I’m quite taken as well, I just love buildings with plants). The company is currently in talks to develop plantscrapers in Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.
I’d also be curious to see a cross between Plantagon’s concept and a technology such as that of SolarWindow — one producing food, the other electricity. Such buildings could conceivably feed and power cities at the same time.
Until then, will have to wait and see if the plantscraper concept will succeed. I hope it does.
This Week in Tech: IKEA and Other Heavy Hitters Invest $40 Million in Vertical Farming
IKEA and Other Heavy Hitters Invest $40 Million in Vertical Farming
Courtesy AeroFarms
Swedish furniture company IKEA, top chef David Chang of Momofuku Group, Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and more big names and companies have invested a combined $40 million into AeroFarms, a vertical farm producer based in Newark, N.J.
The company, which recently completed the world's largest indoor vertical farm in the city, "will use the latest round of funds for continued investment in leading R&D and technology and additional farm expansion around the world," according to the company's press release.
Aerofarms uses a closed-loop aeroponics system (the process of growing plants in a mist environment rather than in soil) that the company says uses 95 percent less water than field farming. [AeroFarms]
Growing Urban Seedlings
Growing Urban Seedlings
November 04, 2017
By Sunny Liu
Behind the concrete facade of the 174 Collins St building is a growing indoor community garden with a purpose to bring fresh urban-grown produce to local tables.
Flourishing at the basement of Urban Seed’s Central House behind the Collins St Baptist Church, the micro farm is the brainchild of the Urban Seedlings team, comprising husband and wife Geoff and Sherry Maddock, Dan Ong and Mady Sieben, who all live in the building.
Earlier this year, the team transformed the disused basement into an incubator for micro greens and aquaponics, which is an integrated aquacultural system creating a symbiotic relationship between fish and plants.
With a goal to officially launch the program in March 2018, Urban Seedlings is raising “seed money” to fund this not-for-profit program.
Eventually, when the plants are harvested, Urban Seedlings will become a supplier of organic vegetables for CBD restaurants and cafes and a community safe haven for local residents to get together and get their green thumbs.
Geoff Maddock told CBD News Urban Seedlings wanted to promote a sustainable lifestyle in the CBD.
“We want to offer sustainable ways of community involvement and at the same time also present a hospitable, welcoming place for people to gather and share their skills,” he said.
“Urban Seedlings can create a social impact through showing people how to be sustainable and reduce their food waste through systems like a worm farm.”
Having lived in the US for the past 20 years, Sherry and Geoff Maddock were inspired by the not-for-profit Kentucky organisation FoodChain, which operates a large-scale indoor farm.
Mr Maddock said they also hoped to see locally-grown produce on tables in CBD restaurants.
“We want to grow part of the food in the urban centre. We have been liaising with local chefs and they are keen to source some of their vegetables from us,” Mr Maddock said.
The Urban Seedlings team said it wanted to develop a curriculum for students and local residents where they can learn how to turn their homes into an indoor green garden.
“We will host workshops so people learn how to grow it at home. There’s a huge potential for people to grow their own food in the urban area,” Mr Maddock said.
Urban Seedlings is already taking school tours and the students have been curious and interested in how the indoor micro farm operates.
According to the team, there are many benefits of having an indoor green space.
“It purifies the air. No machines can be compared to the efficiency of actual plants. It’s also very therapeutic and relieves stress,” Mr Maddock said.
CBD residents and workers will soon be able to check out the micro farm and purchase some succulent plants from Urban Seedlings.
For more information, visit urbanseedlings.org
Is Organic Labeling Something The Hydroponic Industry Needs?
Is Organic Labeling Something The Hydroponic Industry Needs?
Conscientious shoppers are seeking out organically labeled food in their grocery stores and even at farmers markets.
November 28, 2017
CropKing
In an extremely close vote Nov. 1, the USDA’s National Organic Standards Board made a decision on a controversial issue: can hydroponically grown crops be certified organic? The answer, by an 8-7 margin, was yes. With the vote out of the way, the NOSB will now have to make recommendations on how the hydroponic industry can be governed under the organic label. However, as both organic and hydroponic agriculture adjust to the board’s decision, a simple question looms in the air, “Is organic the best path forward for hydroponically grown crops?”
Here’s the thing, there’s no arguing that organic is a hot niche. In April 2016, the Huffington Post wrote an article detailing Costco’s fast-selling organic produce section, entitled, “Costco Is Selling So Much Organic Produce, Farmers Can’t Keep Up”. In fact, while the USDA doesn’t keep hard numbers on total organic sales, the agency does have this chart showing the growth of sales. Even to the untrained eye, it’s clear organic sales have been steadily growing since 2005. That’s more than a decade of increasing sales.
Organic is having a sustained moment in the sun. Conscientious shoppers are seeking out organically labelled food in their grocery stores and even at farmers markets.
There are downsides to organic though. The market is already saturated with growers competing in the space. The Organic Authority says there are already 100 hydroponic growers certified to sell organic. And that’s just the hydroponic growers that got in before Nov. 1. Given the national attention on the NOSB decision, more applications for organic certification could be coming into USDA shortly.
There’s also growing confusion over organic versus competing labels, particularly the “local” identifier. Some consumers don’t know the two aren’t synonymous.
“What is a consumer looking for when they buy organic? Most buyers who purchase organic do so because organic, to them, equals safety, pesticide free, healthy food for my family,” said CropKing President Paul Brentlinger.
Plus, shoppers are increasingly heading to farmers markets to buy local crops, perhaps signaling a shift in priorities for heady produce buyers. In 2013, the USDA said there were 8,144 farmers markets, that’s up from 1,755 in 1994. That’s why more produce is carrying a “local” label.
It seems consumers are increasingly interested in where crops come from and how they’re grown. That’s why some industry vets have been wondering about a hydroponic-specific label, something that indicates growers are utilizing the best, most sustainable practices available in the CEA, hydroponic environment. Something the fast-growing industry can tout as its own and put marketing might behind. Something that can be added to the already impressive list of labels.
“Regardless of the debate surrounding salt based fertilizer or organic fertilizer I think the CEA industry can check those boxes for the consumer. Many CropKing growers market their product as "locally grown", "pesticide free" and are able to develop that relationship with the communities they support,” said Brentlinger.
After all, the organic labelled products totaled $47 billion in sales last year, according to Business Insider. Could a hydroponic-specific label push your sales to new heights?
Tell us what you think, would a hydroponic label benefit you? Let us know in the comments.
Photo: iStock
Urban Agriculture Production Act Could Help Eliminate Urban Food Deserts
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) introduced the Urban Agriculture Production Act in September. This bipartisan bill aims to support nutritional and farmers’ market programs and help create the next generation of local, urban farmers and food producers.
Urban Agriculture Production Act Could Help Eliminate Urban Food Deserts
NOVEMBER 28, 2017 | DAVID KUACK
Urban Agriculture Production Act offers growers, retailers and consumers opportunity to produce, market and purchase locally-grown food.
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) introduced the Urban Agriculture Production Act in September. This bipartisan bill aims to support nutritional and farmers’ market programs and help create the next generation of local, urban farmers and food producers.
Kaptur was joined by 11 original cosponsors: Rep. John Conyers (MI-13), Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13), Rep. Eleanor Holmes-Norton (DC-AL), Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04), Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Rep. Tim Ryan (OH-13), Rep. Dwight Evans (PA-02), Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12) and Rep. Don Young (AK-AL). The bill is supported by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and Farmers Market Coalition.
Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur introduced the Urban Agriculture Production Act in September with the goal of supporting small farmers, helping to eliminate food deserts and promoting local agriculture.
Photos courtesy of Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur
Congresswoman Kaptur sat down with Urban Ag News to talk about the Urban Agriculture Production Act and the impact it could have on growers, local food retailers and urban communities.
UAN: What are the goals of the Urban Agriculture Production Act and why did you introduce the bill at this time?
Kaptur: The Urban Agriculture Production Act can serve as a marker for the next Farm Bill reauthorization. My key goals are to support small farmers and producers, work to eliminate food deserts and promote local agriculture in our nation’s metropolitan areas.
Across America, too many of our urban neighborhoods are absent of stores where community members can purchase fresh, healthy foods. There are more than 23 million individuals residing in these so-called “food desert” neighborhoods, where there are no stores within one mile in which they can buy healthy food. Without healthy options, people are forced to eat unhealthy, processed, junk food, because that is all that is available and affordable. This bill is a step to correct this unacceptable trend.
UAN: The term “urban agriculture” includes urban farms, hoop houses, aqua-culture, hydroponic and aquaponics facilities and rooftop, vertical and indoor farms. Would this also include new or existing commercial greenhouse growers who may be looking to set up production facilities in urban areas?
Kaptur: Certainly. But it is important to also note that new approaches to greenhouse growing should be re-imagined in order to manage energy and water systems through more efficient and renewable means. In urban communities like those I represent, resources are available and are waiting to be utilized. Vacant and blighted properties can be repurposed into productive sites with the installation of energy- and water-efficient commercial greenhouses. Waste heat from manufacturing operations can also be rechanneled to allow for an entirely new class of four-season growing.
Embracing such opportunities can empower new people through agriculture. Residents in urban areas could benefit from not only the jobs created, but also from the unique skills gained in food production and distribution processing.
UAN: How is the production of the food and its sales going to be coordinated? In other words, how are growers going to know that they have markets ready to handle their produce even before they grow the crops and retailers are going to be sure they have an adequate amount of produce to sell?
Kaptur: That is up to the growers, but ideally, we will have at least some venues, think farmers’ markets that are also empowered by the investments we’re making in this bill. From there, growers and producers can get a foot in the door to compete and succeed.
UAN: The Act directs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish an urban agriculture outreach program. Part of this program enables the Secretary to award grants. Would growers be eligible for these grants and what type of production and marketing activities/projects could these funds be used to finance?
Kaptur: That is one of the most exciting pieces of the legislation. Growers would be eligible for these grants. And the grants are for the following types of activities in urban or in and around urban areas:
- Infrastructure, land acquisition and land conversation.
- Education and training to enhance agricultural production.
- The aggregation of farmer products and supplies for purposes of transportation to market.
- Other activities that support urban agricultural production as determined by the Secretary of Agriclture.
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur hopes the Urban Agriculture Production Act will encourage growers to look at new approaches to greenhouse growing that will enable them to manage energy and water systems through more efficient and renewable means.
UAN: Where would the money come from to operate the urban agriculture outreach program and who would oversee it?
Kaptur: Our bill authorizes Congress to allocate $50 million each year to the Department of Agriculture for the urban agriculture outreach program. It also creates an Urban Agricultural Liaison who would administer the program.
UAN: How much money will be available to initiate the urban agriculture outreach program and for how long would this funding be available? Does this amount of funding change from year to year and does it have to be appropriated annually?
Kaptur: $50 million is the amount authorized in our bill, starting in 2018 and each fiscal year thereafter. This authorizing amount does not change from year to year. We hope this money will eventually inspire other investment from businesses, nonprofits, churches and even local and state governments.
In my hometown of Toledo, for example, a local restaurant, Balance Pan-Asian Grille, is building an urban indoor aquaponics farm next door to their new location to grow the food that will be served every day. It is very exciting and ideally, our bill would help create more opportunities and the expertise for this to happen a lot more across the country.
UAN: Who will decide as to which production and marketing projects receive funding?
Kaptur: The Secretary of Agriculture will determine how the production and marketing funding is awarded based on the criteria set out the bill.
UAN: Some of these projects are eligible for grants and others are eligible for loans. Who will make the decision as to which projects receive which type of funding?
Kaptur: The Secretary of Agriculture, either as acting through the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency or any other USDA agent who he deems appropriate, will make the determination.
UAN: With the mentality of the current administration and some legislators in Washington to cut spending, what do you think are the chances of this bill passing even though it has received bipartisan support?
Kaptur: That is why we are focused on incorporating as much of our urban agriculture bill into the upcoming Farm Bill. Though it won’t be easy, this legislation is a must-pass bill, and historically has always crossed the finish line.
UAN: Will the Urban Agriculture Production Act have any connection with the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill? If so, would funding the urban agriculture outreach program and its projects have any impact on funding other programs in the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill?
Kaptur: Well, we hope so. And I am confident that other Members of Congress from both rural and urban areas alike will see the value in spurring innovation and investing in our urban agriculture infrastructure.
For more: Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), 2186 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515; (202) 225-4146; https://kaptur.house.gov.
NYC Restaurant Opts for Hyper-Local, Clean Produce by Building a Hydroponic Farm on Location!
Rob Laing, CEO of Farm.One has a solution: hydroponics, a system of growing plants without many of the traditional inputs. Using just a finely tuned solution of water, Farm.One can grow crops without soil or even sunlight.
NYC Restaurant Opts for Hyper-Local, Clean Produce by Building a Hydroponic Farm on Location!
Michelle Neff
November 13, 2017
There has been a notable rise in consumer concern over the sustainability of their food choices in recent years. Thanks to the availability of information, people are becoming more concerned about their own health, as well as coming to realize the impact that their food choices have on the planet and animals.
Many people are looking for sustainable farming practices and choosing organic produce that isn’t filled with pesticides and other chemicals. According to data provided by the Organic Trade Association, sales of organic produce are expected to grow 70 percent between 2016 and 2021. People want food that is fresh and good for them, but unfortunately, most of the produce in the U.S. is shipped across the country and it’s not as easy to find locally grown fruits and vegetables in commercial grocery stores. With a number petrochemicals involved in creating synthetic fertilizers and pesticides – as well as those needed in the packing, cooling, and shipping process – it’s quite hard to find truly sustainable produce that you can trust.
Rob Laing, CEO of Farm.One has a solution: hydroponics, a system of growing plants without many of the traditional inputs. Using just a finely tuned solution of water, Farm.One can grow crops without soil or even sunlight. In fact, Farm.One is a unique indoor farm in downtown Manhattan, which uses hydroponics to reduce water use by around 95 percent, and advanced climate control technology to grow a wide variety of plants year-round without pesticides, pollution, soil contamination, herbicides, manure or waiting in cold storage.
Now, Farm.One is expanding and planning to launch a second farm, directly underneath the restaurant Atera in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City on November 14, 2017!
“In Denmark, it was possible to step out the kitchen door and forage for beautiful ingredients. To have Farm.One in New York, just a few steps away from our kitchen gives us access to a huge range of rare ingredients, year-round,” said Ronny Emborg, Executive Chef of Atera.
The new 1,200 square-foot farm is dedicated to growing rare herbs, edible flowers, and micro greens, all of which will be used throughout New York restaurants.
Farm.One’s new farm uses efficient LED lights to grow rare produce, all in a controlled environment, year round. The produce is then transported via bike or subway to restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn, to reduce food miles. If that wasn’t amazing enough, the new farm is capable of growing 1,000 pounds of produce. The future of food is here!
“Farming indoors in Manhattan allows us to deliver a huge range of rare produce for the most demanding chefs within a few hours of harvest, year-round. Our location eliminates waste and provides a fresher, better product,” CEO Rob Laing explains. Check out the below video to learn more about this innovative company.
We are thrilled to see Farm.One expand and help create a model for hydroponic farming for other businesses! Making healthy produce accessible even in the middle of a bustling city is undoubtedly a great move for the planet, animals, and the well-being of people.
Interested in learning more about Farm.One? In a recent episode of the #EatForThePlanet with Nil Zacharias podcast, Rob discusses his vision for how technology can transform the food system and help to create a more sustainable and healthy world.
Check out the full episode below:
A New Jeff Bezos-Backed Warehouse Farm Will Grow Enough Produce to Feed Over 180,000 People Per Year
A New Jeff Bezos-Backed Warehouse Farm Will Grow Enough Produce to Feed Over 180,000 People Per Year
Inside Plenty's first farm in South San Francisco, California. Plenty
- Vertical farming startup Plenty — which has raised $260 million to date — is opening a 100,000-square-foot farm in the greater Seattle, Washington area.
- The company, which grows fruits and veggies under LEDs and without soil, hopes to sell its organic produce for the same price as traditional produce.
- Plenty plans to drive down operational costs by automating its growing processes as much as possible.
Following a $200 million investment this summer — the largest agriculture-tech funding round in history — vertical farming startup Plenty is expanding beyond its Bay Area roots.
The company is opening a second farm in the greater Seattle area, Plenty CEO Matt Barnard told Business Insider. Located in Kent, Washington, the 100,000-square-foot warehouse facility will grow 4.5 million pounds of greens annually, which is enough to feed around183,600 Americans, according to the USDA.
The new farm will officially start production in spring 2018. Instead of growing outdoors, Plenty grows its crops on glowing, LED-lit 20-foot-tall towers inside a former electronics distribution center in South San Francisco. The towers do not require soil, pesticides, or even natural sunlight.
The technique is called indoor vertical farming. It's a type of agriculture in which food grows on trays or hanging modules in a climate-controlled, indoor facility. The process allows certain types of produce to be grown year-round in small spaces.
Plenty's farm will be nearly twice the size as its original one in California. The company also has a smaller non-production facility in Wyoming, where it has tested different growing processes for over 300 crops.
The new Seattle-based farm will grow leafy greens and herbs first, but will later expand to fruits, including strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelons. Barnard said that Plenty's strawberries will be smaller, less pulpy, and higher in sugar and acidity levels than the ones most consumers are used to.
Plenty is aiming to lower produce costs by automating parts of its farms
Plenty, which received organic certification earlier this year, will start selling its produce in 2018. Though the company is not ready to announce exactly how it will distribute, Barnard hinted that delivery may be an option.
To date, Plenty has raised $226 million. In July, $200 million came from a Series B funding round led by SoftBank Vision. The round included DCM Ventures as well as funds that invest on behalf of Alphabet’s Eric Schmidt and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.
With the new investment, Barnard said Plenty plans to build more farms around the world. The team ultimately aims to drive down operational costs so that Plenty can sell its produce for prices that match traditionally grown fruits and veggies.
Plenty is working toward that goal by automating its farm processes "as much as possible," Barnard said. For example, the company uses small robots, called the Schleppers, to transplant seedlings.
"We grow very densely," Barnard said. "And that means you get to a limit where it's hard to have a person in there."
Farm of Future Grows Crops Quickly, Efficiently
Farm of Future Grows Crops Quickly, Efficiently
- Matthew Lambert, mlambert@agrinews.com | Nov 21, 2017
Two of many rows of leafy greens, these ones being specifically butter lettuce, inside Living Greens Farm in Faribault, Minn. The farm utilizes vertical growing techniques inside of a warehouse as way to be efficient and environmentally friendly.
Matthew Lambert / mlambert@agrinews.com
FARIBAULT, Minn. — The warehouse that houses Living Greens Farm doesn't look like a place that contains the future of farming.
Located on the north side of Faribault near Interstate 35, Dana Anderson and Dave Augustine are executing "trial and error" tactics to help feed the world.
Augustine said that when he and Anderson began Living Greens in 2012, they ran into more engineering problems than growing issues. Now, they're an efficient machine, growing leafy greens in a 45-day growing cycle compared to the usual 80-90 days.
The farm uses a special frame designed by Anderson in his garage in 2010. While the prototype is different from what's in use today, the basic A-frame is the same: two frames pressed together at the top like a triangle, with room in-between for workers to move through.
It uses the frame for shedding water, allowing the crops, that spend around two weeks before they enter the A-frame setup, to be regularly misted with a nutrient solution.
Living Greens Farm doesn't use soil or water as a growing medium, rather it utilizes aeroponics or vertical growing, maximizing the growing space.
Living Greens Farm grows lettuce varieties, herbs and microgreens, selling around Minnesota and going to market within 24 to 48 hours after harvest.
These aren't genetically inferior crops either. Living Greens Farm grows everything from butter lettuce and upland cress to microgreen arugula and microgreen radish to basil and cilantro, just to name a few.
There are no herbicides or pesticides, not organic, and use little heat and light. Furthermore, Living Greens Farm uses one-200th of the land and 95 percent less water than a traditional farm.
From what began as trial and error has become an efficient machine that shows the potential for farming to be possible anywhere at anytime.
Michelle Keller, the head grower at Living Greens Farm, previously ran a hydroponic lettuce farm for 10 years. She's been with Living Greens Farm for a little more than four years and was familiar with the aeroponic process itself.
Keller can do what the average farmer can't: control the elements.
"I can mimic June 12 months of the year," Keller said.
Keller said the future of farming will likely still have larger fields growing corn, wheat, and oats, but a lack of space makes abandoned buildings or warehouses perfect places for start-up farms.
"This is the answer," Keller said. "It gets you closer to the end consumer, we're not shipping it in, we're not being dependent on foreign countries as much. Some type of indoor farming has to be the answer."
Anderson and Augustine say Rice County and Faribault were "business friendly" for the futuristic venture, but they aren't ruling out the possibility of growing other products or expanding their model and technique elsewhere, including international markets.
Indoor Farms of America Brings World's First Solar-Powered Vertical Aeroponic Farm, Announces More International Sales
Indoor Farms of America Brings World's First Solar-Powered Vertical Aeroponic Farm, Announces More International Sales
NEWS PROVIDED BY Indoor Farms of America
LAS VEGAS, Nov. 20, 2017, / PRNewswire
Indoor Farms of America announces the first fully operating, 100% solar powered vertical aeroponic indoor farm in the world.
"This farm represents a major milestone for indoor farming. Everyone in the industry knows that the additional investment of solar energy generation to power an indoor farm can turn a solid return on that investment into a long-term money loser, due to the length of time to recapture those extra investment dollars," states David Martin, CEO of Indoor Farms of America.
World's First Solar Power Installation for a Vertical Aeroponic Farm
"Using solar technology to power up our vertical aeroponics, which grows fresh crops that are simply beyond organic, is really a great story, if the economics work," says Martin. "Our equipment was specifically designed to create that tangible R.O.I., which is the only yardstick that frankly matters in an indoor space, and furthers how we transcend anything else in the industry."
nside the world's first solar powered vertical aeroponic farm
In addition to being powered by solar energy, this farm is special to the company, as it represents one of numerous farms the company has built that are owned and operated by traditional agriculture folks, according to company President,Ron Evans. "When you can convert an older barn or outbuilding on a farm into a state of the art indoor farming facility, and operate that farm within a short distance to market, you are achieving the best of all worlds in farming. This farm is twenty minutes from market, so local people will have access to daily fresh herbs and greens that they have never experienced before, all year long, no matter what the weather or time of year."
The company also announces additional sales in international markets. "We are really pleased to have been chosen as the containerized farm supplier for an extreme weather area of the world, in Northern Canada, where we are delivering a Model 8775 to the town of Yellowknife," says Martin. "This farm will experience temps of minus 40 celsius, and we have spent the past year in continual R&D to ensure our turn-key farms can operate anywhere on the planet."
The area of West Africa, known as the Ivory Coast, is receiving its first world class indoor farm, in the form of a Model 6825. "Here again, we were chosen over all competitors due to the fact our containerized farm models grow over double the yield of anything else in the world," according to Martin.
The U.A.E. is receiving its first vertical aeroponic farm from IFOA, located in Dubai, which is set to open for business in January, 2018. "Dubai will now have unprecedented access to daily fresh premiums herbs, and fresh strawberries," states Martin.
"If you are in Dubai in the first week of December, be sure and stop by the WOP Dubai event and see our display," saysRon Evans. "You can also visit with us at the Farm Forum event in Calgary, Alberta Canada that same week. We are always a show stopper at the events our equipment is displayed at."
Indoor Farms of America has a showroom with demonstration farms operating in Las Vegas, Nevada and in multiple locations in Canada, and in South Africa, where their patented vertical aeroponic equipment is on display.
CONTACT:
David W. Martin, CEO • 185857@email4pr.com • IndoorFarmsAmerica.com
4000 W. Ali Baba Lane, Ste. F Las Vegas, NV 89118
(702) 664-1236 or (702) 606-2691
SOURCE Indoor Farms of America
Skywell to Design and Build Sustainable On-Campus Indoor Farms for Foxconn
Skywell to Design and Build Sustainable On-Campus Indoor Farms for Foxconn
LOS ANGELES, -- Skywell, a leading US water technology company, has been selected by Foxconn, one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies, to design and build a fully sustainable indoor vertical farm that will be integrated into the manufacturing facilities at Foxconn’s Wuhan, China Campus. The futuristic indoor farm will be entirely solar powered and its crops will be nourished exclusively by water generated by Skywell’s sustainable “air water” technology.
The new indoor farms, the latest of Foxconn’s green CSR initiatives, will produce high-quality vegetables and fruits, which will improve the variety and enhance the nutrition of employee meals provided at Foxconn’s on-campus cafeterias.
“Sustainability is a core pillar of Foxconn’s corporate strategy, and we are committed to investing in green, socially responsible innovation,” said Mark Chien, a Foxconn Senior Executive Vice President. “Because our people are the absolute foundation of our company, it is inspiring to be able to pursue a corporate initiative that will not only enhance the workplace, but also be respectful of the environment.”
According to Mr. Chien, since 2008, Foxconn has launched several green initiatives that have resulted in a significant decrease in carbon emissions and reduced water waste. By leveraging Skywell’s sustainable “air water” technology, Foxconn is hoping to enhance the working environment in its corporate facilities and showcase Skywell’s revolutionary technology and potential for the rest of the corporate world.
“Our atmospheric water generating technology shares many similarities with nature’s 'water cycle' by condensing and filtering naturally occurring and plentiful atmospheric water vapor into clean and fresh water,” said Ron Dorfman, CEO of Skywell. “Skywell 'air water' is generated with a carbon footprint much lower than alternative water sources due to the absence of pumping, plastics, packaging or shipping.”
Mr. Dorfman added that “When Foxconn became aware of our work with drinking water and indoor sustainable agriculture, Foxconn’s management immediately expressed interest in exploring various ways that our technology and know-how could be become a part of Foxconn’s CSR platform.”
“The implementation of these indoor farms continues our ongoing efforts to enhance the well-being of our employees in innovative ways,” said Mr. Chien. “We have high hopes for the scalability of the Skywell technology in connection with other socially responsible and sustainable initiatives in our facilities.”
Mr. Chien indicated that once the pilot project at the Wuhan campus is successfully operational, Foxconn will consider incorporating indoor vertical farms throughout its other Chinese and international facilities.
For media inquiries please contact Tyler Barnett PR at 323.937.1951.
Vertical Farm Under Construction At New RiNo Development
Construction is underway on the company’s first greenhouse, a 7,000-square-foot structure at the new S’park development on the corner of 25th and Lawrence streets.
Vertical Farm Under Construction At New RiNo Development
KATE TRACY NOVEMBER 16, 2017
Altius Farms will have 340 tower gardens in its greenhouse. (Altius Farms)
Sally Herbert is looking for higher ground in RiNo.
Instead of a penthouse with mountain views or a rooftop bar, the Air Force veteran and GS1 executive plans to grow lettuce. And this farm requires some vertical.
Dissatisfied with Denver’s urban agriculture and farming, Herbert founded Altius Farms with the goal of growing produce on a footprint that spreads up, not out.
Construction is underway on the company’s first greenhouse, a 7,000-square-foot structure at the new S’park development on the corner of 25th and Lawrence streets.
Herbert said the greenhouse, with 340 aeroponic garden towers, could produce 75,000 pounds of lettuce, herbs or other leafy greens annually at full capacity. Aeroponics is the process of growing plants without soil.
“We will produce over 10 times the yield of conventional farming,” she said. “We use 10 percent of the water and 10 percent of the space.”
The greenhouse is set to open in spring 2018.
Herbert said she hopes nearby restaurants will account for most of sales. The produce prices will be comparable to other locally sourced products, and Herbert thinks restaurant owners would pay more for the freshness.
“If I can deliver every day or every other day to a restaurateur, they’re really happy,” she said.
Sally Herbert in front of the under-construction S’Park development. (Kate Tracy)
Plans call for the remainder of produce to be sold through CSAs – community support agriculture – to nearby residents.
Lettuce and arugula will be the greenhouse’s main crops, but the company also plans to grow celery, edible flowers and bok choy, and can grow custom produce by request.
Unlike Infinite Harvest, another local Denver vertical farm, Altius will not use LED lighting or a shared water system.
“We’re not sharing water from tower to tower,” Herbert said, adding that will reduce the number of waterborne pathogens to the produce.
Herbert, a graduate of the University of Colorado and Colorado State University, was an executive of barcode company GS1 until four years ago, when she moved back to Colorado.
She served on the board of nonprofit Veterans to Farmers, where she first learned about vertical farm technology.
Herbert said more than $500,000 has been invested in the project, a mix of her own capital, a bank loan and money from other backers. She plans to hire six veterans to run the greenhouse.
Altius looked at two other sites, near the Stanley Marketplace and in Westminster, before settling on the property at 25th and Lawrence.
It is leasing the greenhouse, above the future site of sushi restaurant Uchi, from S’Park developer Westfield. It’s next door to 99 condos and townhomes priced between $300,000 and $900,000.
Rendering of Altius Farms, bottom left, in the under-construction S’Park development. (Altrius Farms)
About the author: Kate TracyView all posts by Kate Tracy
Kate Tracy is a BusinessDen reporter who covers nonprofits, startups and the outdoors industry. She is a graduate of Corban University. Email her at kate@BusinessDen.com.
A Jeff Bezos-Backed Vertical Farm is Coming to the Seattle Area
Indoor farming startup Plenty is building its first full-scale farm in the Seattle area. Plenty snagged $200 million in Series B funding in July from investors including SoftBank's Vision Fund, Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOGL) Chairman Eric Schmidt and Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) founder and CEO Jeff Bezos' Bezos Expeditions.
A Jeff Bezos-Backed Vertical Farm is Coming to the Seattle Area
Plenty will open a 100,000-square-foot indoor farm in Kent in the first half of 2018.
By Casey Coombs – Staff Writer, Puget Sound Business Journal
Nov 3, 2017
Indoor farming startup Plenty is building its first full-scale farm in the Seattle area.
Plenty snagged $200 million in Series B funding in July from investors including SoftBank's Vision Fund, Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOGL) Chairman Eric Schmidt and Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) founder and CEO Jeff Bezos' Bezos Expeditions.
Expected to open in the first half of 2018 in Kent, Plenty's farm will employ a workforce of indoor farming engineers, organic growers and operations experts.
“Seattle’s emphasis on delicious, healthy food and energy and water efficiency makes the area a natural fit for our next Plenty farm,” Plenty CEO and co-founder Matt Barnard said. “At nearly 100,000 square feet, Seattle will be home to our first full scale farm and help set the standard by which our global farm network makes locally-grown, backyard-quality produce accessible to everyone. We’re excited about what’s next and look forward to building the Seattle team.”
The produce will be available to local Seattle and Vancouver BC-area consumers beginning in mid-2018.
Using LED lighting, micro-sensors and big data processing, the company's indoor farming technology aims to help solve global fresh produce shortages.
Plenty farms use one percent of the water and fraction of the land of conventional agriculture.
Plenty’s first field-scale farm is located in South San Francisco and will start delivering produce to local Bay Area customers within hours of harvest by the end of 2017.
The Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Redmond headquarters campus features similar lettuce-growing technology:
“Seattle’s emphasis on delicious, healthy food and energy and water efficiency makes the area a natural fit for ou
Microsoft grows hydroponic lettuce in Redmond
Mark Freeman, senior manager of global dining services at Microsoft, stands with lettuce growing in a hydroponic pyramids in Building 121's Cafe 121 on Microsoft's campus in Redmond.
