Dinesh Kumar Maganathan @ FMT Lifestyle

10 Nov 2024

Jay Desan’s tech-driven urban farm delivers greens that keep for longer and taste better, in a bid to change the way Malaysians think about food.

KUALA LUMPUR:

When Ipoh-born Jay Desan returned to Malaysia after spending years in the United Kingdom, she observed something that would set her on a path towards changing how people view their food.

“As a new mother, I wanted to give my boys the best-quality, freshest produce. But I quickly realised how expensive it is to eat healthy here,” Jay told FMT Lifestyle.

“When I lived in London, I wasn’t just getting an apple – I was getting an apple grown 30 minutes away. That’s how local it was!

“But here, everything seems imported. When it’s not local, it’s not fresh and there’s a huge carbon footprint to the food,” said Jay, who holds a doctorate in corporate responsibility.

Determined to make a difference, she eventually started a smart farm that would grow fresh, pesticide-free greens with less fuel, land, and water than traditional farms.

BoomGrow is an urban farm that utilises technology and data to cultivate crops in repurposed shipping containers stacked with modular plant racks. This controlled environment ensures the greens are packed with flavour, freshness, and nutrition, delivered straight from farm to fork.

“It isn’t a case of ‘plant and pray’ that something grows. Our farm controls water, light, and humidity with precision, ensuring consistent, fresh produce year-round,” Jay explained.

Indeed, BoomGrow takes “fresh from the farm” to a whole new level. According to Jay, their produce isn’t just local – it’s “hyperlocal”.

“If we’re in KL, we don’t send our vegetables to Penang,” she pointed out. This approach means the greens go from harvest to plate in record time, often within hours: “In KL, we harvest in the morning, and by lunch, customers are enjoying it.”

This freshness isn’t just about taste; it’s also about nutrition. “Eating it at the height of freshness means you’re getting the best nutrients,” Jay added.

Notably, BoomGrow’s greens can keep for eight to 12 days in the fridge, which means less wastage.

At home, her family enjoys these greens daily. “Both my sons love eating vegetables and salad, and I don’t even need to cook it. That’s because it tastes so fresh and good.”

The good news is, it’s not just her kids who get to enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of Jay’s labour. BoomGrow’s produce – which includes leafy greens, microgreens and herbs such as rocket and Swiss chard, and local veggies like red pak choy – is available for order online.

With easy-to-customise packages, customers can readily purchase BoomGrow’s fresh products, harvested to order and bursting with flavour.

Presently, BoomGrow operates in KL, Penang, and Johor and has a footprint in Manila, with plans to expand across Southeast Asia.

So what’s behind the name? It’s about the simplicity and reliability of her company’s approach. “You open the door, pop in the seeds, shut the door, and boom! It grows!”

To Jay, it’s not just about catering to the health-conscious. “We’re growing for families and children: people who want fresh, safe, and local food on their plates,” she stressed.

And by choosing fresh, local produce, Jay believes people can start making more thoughtful decisions about what they consume.

“We’re a nation that loves to eat, but we rarely question where our food comes from or its impact.

“We may not solve all the world’s problems,” she concluded, “but if BoomGrow can change the way people think about food, then that’s a journey worth taking.”

Find out more about BoomGrow here and follow them on Instagram.