Production at the point of consumption: a distributed network of intelligent growing systems for foodservice operators and consumers

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The originators of this project are leaders in the indoor growing system field and have successfully commercialised the technologies and associated services for on-site growing of high value produce (specialty salad leaves, herbs and microgreens) by foodservice operators. The lead business provides clients with a complete integrated system including hardware, consumables, remote monitoring and support services, which enables them to grow-their-own high quality crops with minimal effort and without needing horticultural expertise. The system is technologically innovative because it combines flexible, multi-zonal hardware with a sophisticated cloud-based software platform that combines image processing, machine learning and artificial intelligence to enable monitoring of every crop and automatic programming of the cabinets. This distributed network approach is transformative because it moves the means of production to the point of consumption. Leafy salad crops are inherently perishable and are wasted in huge quantities. This solution eliminates this wastage and the associated negative environmental impacts of the conventional supply chain. The existing Evogro system is highly adaptable and can produce a wide range of crops, but the purchase and operating costs of these systems is still too high for all but the most committed consumer and it is only economic to grow specialty produce. This project will address these issues by researching and developing the next generation of value engineered and autonomous growing system that will dramatically reduce the cost of ownership.This will greatly expand the addressable market by making it affordable for new consumer segments and make it economic to produce mainstream crops. The project will also apply the next generation system to the growing of these mainstream crops, optimising the growing models to maximise their nutrient density. The consortium will run pilot trials of the next generation growing system in volunteer groups of foodservice operators (including some sectors like education and care homes with potential to deliver additional social benefits) and household consumers. This project has the potential to be transformative because it radically disrupts the conventional supply chain and delivers improved nutrition and sustainability benefits to consumers. With widespread adoption, distributed plant growing systems could save tens of thousands of tonnes of food waste annually in the UK. This is a nascent market but activity is accelerating around the world. The company has already begun exporting and sees strong potential in overseas markets. This project will position UK technology at the forefront of this new global industry.