Indoor Produce

Growing indoor produce

Vertical farming is currently mostly used for the production of leafy greens. This category ranges from lettuce products to herbs and microgreens.

Indoor Farming Technology

Why indoor?

For all categories, the main reasons for growing these products in an indoor farm are:

Fully controlled growing conditions including lighting regime, air conditions and nutrient supply.
Predictable results, which is an advantage in offtaking discussions
Consistent and premium quality of the produce year-round
Fixed price levels
Pesticide free production

Lettuce

Lettuce can be divided into lettuce crops and baby leaf production. The most important differences are: cultivation cycle, crop density, substrate material and the method of processing. Salad crops generally have a lower market value when sold as a crop. In many cases, vertical farm owners are targeting the convenience market where the leaves are cut and mixed into a beautiful (and ready-to-use) salad mix. The content of the mix ensures product differentiation in terms of taste and color of the mix.

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Indoor farms

Indoor nurseries (especially smaller ones) also focus on the production of microgreens, which are sprouts with a very short production cycle. Due to the growing conditions and the high density of the product, the yield of microgreens is good and the product has a very high market value. The disadvantage of this product is the low purchase volumes, making it a by-product for larger indoor farms.

Herbs is also a very attractive category. The growing conditions of different herb species can vary considerably, making production control more challenging. In general, we see a lot of spice production in African countries with major imports to Europe for processing, packaging and further distribution. The logistics are not conducive to the quality of the plants, resulting in a high level of waste. There are major sustainability gains with the implementation of local agriculture in indoor farms.

Operational effectiveness and financial feasibility vary per herb type. Many farms focus on basil, cilantro and parsley.

Strawberries

A lot of research is currently being done into the cultivation of strawberries in indoor farms. There is no general insight yet into the feasibility and the selection of the right genetics will be the key to success. In some cases, companies are already moving from the research phase to the production phase. Because strawberries are a soft fruit product and are sensitive, a reduction in logistics can have a major quality impact on the products. Strawberries are a very seasonal product in other production systems, which has a direct impact on the price level. Selling indoor strawberries as a premium product is a necessity to achieve a good profit level.