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Since yesterday, a London branch of Marks & Spencer has been selling a variety of fresh herbs, all of which are grown on site in vertical agricultural units. The plan is for six other stores to follow suit this year.
Internet of Things
The project is a collaboration with urban farming platform Infarm and was first introduced in a reopened branch in the southwest of London. Customers can buy freshly grown basil, mint, parsley and coriander. The supermarket chain intends to equip six other London stores with these ‘mini greenhouses’ before the end of the year.
Infarm combines vertical agricultural units with the most up-to-date Internet of Things technologies and artificial intelligence. These provide a controlled ecosystem that provides the optimal amount of light, air and nutrients for the plants. Each unit is remotely controlled via a platform that learns and makes adjustments, meaning each subsequent plant grows better than the previous one.
Sustainability
The mini greenhouses are much more efficient and more ecological than traditional agriculture: the system uses 95% less water and 75% less fertiliser. Moreover, no pesticides are used. “Infarm’s innovative farming platform is a fantastic example of what can happen when passionate agricultural, food and technology experts work together,” said Paul Willgoss, Director of Food Technology at Marks & Spencer.
Founded in 2013, Infarm is one of the world’s largest urban farming platforms, producing more than 200,000 plants each month. The company currently operates in the United Kingdom, where it has established more than 500 similar city farms in shops and distribution centres, as well as in Germany, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
