by Becky Hawes | Aug 18, 2023 | News
In a groundbreaking achievement, GrowUp Farms has emerged as a pioneer in the field of vertical farming, paving the way for a sustainable and pesticide-free year-round salad supply. The innovative farm, powered by 100% renewable energy and supported by local farmers, is set to revolutionise the way we grow crops.
Earlier this year, Holly Branson popped into a pub in Sandwich, Kent to chat with Kate Hofman (co-founder), and Marcus Whately (CEO) to learn more about their journey – which has been pollinated with purpose from the very first shoots.
The journey of GrowUp Farms was revealed to have begun with Kate personally cycling across London to deliver the first leaves grown in a modified shipping container. GrowUp, at the forefront of vertical farming since 2013, has recently achieved a remarkable milestone in their journey. After a decade of dedicated efforts, the farm has become the first in the United Kingdom to introduce its own branded leaves, brilliantly named Unbeleafable. This venture brings forth a revolutionary approach to agriculture that benefits the environment, boosts productivity, and reduces waste. The team’s dedication and unwavering commitment have resulted in Unbeleafable’s rapid expansion, making it readily available on the shelves of numerous Tesco supermarkets.
As Kate eloquently expressed, “We’ve taken a disused brownfield site and inside it we’ve created the equivalent of 1,000 acres of traditional Grade 1 farmland. The footprint of the land we’re using is a five-acre site.”
Unbeleafable products have revolutionized the freshness of salad, markedly extending it’s shelf life. Addressing the prevalent issue of wastage, research conducted by GrowUp discovered that a staggering 98% of respondents admitted to discarding bagged salad leaves.
Marcus Whately explained, “When we’re growing in a vertical farm, what we’re trying to do is give the crops the perfect environment to grow. It’s a Mediterranean spring day for them all day, every day… We’ve now got something that stays fresher for longer, lasts longer, reduces waste, and offers better value for money.”
The unmistakable taste and crunch of these fresh leaves exemplify the success of their approach.
Holly Said: Thank you to everyone at GrowUp Farms for paving the way toward a more sustainable food system, and showing leaders everywhere that reaping what you sow can be a wonderful thing if you embed purpose at your roots.
Watch the full interview here and see further insights from Holly.
by Becky Hawes | Aug 11, 2023 | News
GrowUp Farms, a sustainable vertical farming company, is thrilled to announce that they have been nominated for not one, but FOUR categories in this year’s FPC Fresh Awards 2023.
The FPC Fresh Awards is an esteemed industry awards ceremony celebrating the best in the UK’s fresh produce industry. It recognizes businesses and individuals contributing innovative ideas and excelling in various areas such as sustainability, teamwork, and individual excellence.
Chantelle Cohen, a vital member of the People team at GrowUp, has been nominated for Rising Star of the Year. This nomination is further proof of the exceptional support Chantelle gives the team at GrowUp!
In addition, GrowUp has been shortlisted for three other categories, including Best Place to Work for their commitment to fostering a positive work culture. Secondly, for their commitment to eco-friendly practices and sustainable farming, GrowUp has been nominated for the Sustainability Excellence Award. Lastly, GrowUp has been recognized for their highly collaborative and dedicated team efforts with the nomination for Team of the Year category.
The winners will be announced during this year’s FPC Fresh Awards ceremony on September 29th in London. GrowUp would like to extend their congratulations to all the other businesses and individuals nominated.
by Becky Hawes | Aug 2, 2023 | News
Pioneering UK vertical farm, GrowUp Farms, has launched Unbeleafable®, the first range of ready-to-eat salads grown in a vertical farm to be sold in a major UK supermarket. Three products from the range will be available in selected Tesco stores from 26 July*.
The Unbeleafable range of salads is grown at GrowUp Farms’ vertical farm, Pepperness, in Kent. The farm creates the perfect growing conditions for salad leaves. Unbeleafable salads are grown without pesticides and unlike conventionally produced salads, don’t need to be washed in chlorine to make them ready to eat. Unbeleafable leaves are tastier and stay fresher for longer than other ready-to-eat bagged salads sold in UK supermarkets.
Research conducted by Unbeleafable found that 98% of consumers say they throw away bagged salad**. Unbeleafable salads stay fresher for longer, so they are less likely to be thrown away. It’s better for the environment and better value for shoppers.
Unbeleafable is a step towards increasing the resilience of the UK’s food system. The UK imports 67% of salads eaten each year and over 90% in the winter***. UK supermarket shelves were left bare earlier this year as supply chains struggled with demand and supermarkets introduced temporary rationing. Unbeleafable salads are grown, harvested and packed year-round in the UK at GrowUp’s Kent vertical farm, Pepperness.
Pepperness has been producing ready-to-eat salads for UK retail and wholesale customers since February. The farm uses 100% renewable energy from the bioenergy plant next door and once complete, will use 94% less water than ready-to-eat salads grown in a field or greenhouse.
Kate Hofman, Founder of GrowUp Farms, who was the only vertical farming industry representative to attend Rishi Sunak’s Farm to Fork Summit earlier this year, says: “At GrowUp Farms, we’ve been growing unbelievably good leaves for over a decade. At Pepperness, our latest farm, we’re producing ready-to-eat salads for major UK supermarkets, demonstrating the commercial viability of vertical farming and its role in sustainable UK food production.
“When people taste our salad, they tell us they didn’t know lettuce could taste this good or last all week! That’s not a surprise when our research shows that 98% of shoppers said they throw away bagged salad. What a waste! We’re incredibly proud that Unbeleafable can help consumers reduce food waste.
“Unsurprisingly, the majority of shoppers (61%) say the thing that bothers them most about bagged salad is that the leaves don’t last long enough. This is why we’re so excited to launch our Unbeleafable salads – they’re crisp and delicious, and they stay fresher in y’fridge! Unbeleafable offers consumers a range of tasty salads – from mild to strong – that have the freshest, crispest, longer-lasting leaves in the UK.
“Unbeleafable and its longer-lasting leaves are here to shake up the bagged salad category. We’re thrilled to be working with Tesco to get salads from our vertical farm onto the plates of more British consumers. It is great that Tesco is backing our sustainable approach to farming to make the UK more self-sufficient and to build a more resilient food and farming system” adds Hofman.
Alex Edwards, Category Buying Manager for Horticulture and Prepared Produce for Tesco said: “We are committed to giving our customers the greatest choice of fresh produce, at affordable prices. We know that bagged salads are incredibly popular, not only in the summer months but all year round. So we are very excited to be offering Tesco shoppers Unbeleafable, an innovative new range of branded bagged salads that stays fresh for longer and is grown sustainably, which is something we know our customers are increasingly passionate about.”
*There are three salads in the range at Tesco. These are:
- crisp green leaves – a sweet salad, containing a mix of green baby lettuce and frilly green baby lettuce (RRP £1.50).
- mixed baby leaves – a mild salad, containing a mix of green baby lettuce and red baby lettuce (RRP £1.50).
- rocket & baby leaves – a stronger flavour, containing a mix of green baby lettuce, red baby lettuce and rocket (RRP £1. 50).
**Survey conducted by Attest into shopping habits and consumer attitudes on 12 July 2023 with 1,000 respondents.
*** DEFRA Horticultural Statistics (2022)
by Becky Hawes | Jul 19, 2023 | News
Pioneering vertical farm GrowUp Farms has received an A rating in its first-ever BRCGS audit.
The Kent-based farm, Pepperness, is the first UK vertical farm to be awarded the certification which covers the growing, harvesting and packing processes at the farm, and achieved a grade A against the BRCGS Global Food Safety Standard, which has set the benchmark for nearly 25 years for food safety, quality and operations. Adopted by more than 22,000 sites in more than 130 countries, the standard is accepted by 70% of the top 10 global retailers, 60% of the top 10 quick-service restaurants, and 50% of the top 25 manufacturers.
GrowUp Farms is also the first UK vertical farm to launch a branded ready-to-eat salad into a UK supermarket group with the launch earlier this year of Fresh Leaf Co. red + green baby leaf salad into Iceland and Food Warehouse stores across the country.
The controlled environment at the farm, which has received this highly sought-after certification, creates the perfect climate and conditions to grow salad leaves without the need for any pesticides or washing. The salads are grown using 94% less water than salads grown in a field or greenhouse. The fact that the salad does not need to be washed, or grown with chemicals, means the leaves are tastier and stay fresher for longer than other bagged salads sold in UK supermarkets, which means less wasted salad: better for the environment and more value for money for consumers.
Talking about the BRCGS certification to GrowUp Farms, Emma West, Vice-President of Technical Services and Certification Director for FoodChain ID said: “FoodChain ID is thrilled to support the ground-breaking achievements to secure certification for the first indoor vertically integrated farm in the UK.
Kate Hofman, Founder and Chief Brand Officer said: “We are over the moon to have achieved yet another accolade by being the world’s first controlled environment vertical farm to be awarded a grade A against the BRCGS from plant to plate in our first-ever audit.
“The certification is recognised by retailers and food service organisations across the world so it’s very important to us to achieve such a great rating on our first audit as we build on our commercial operations. We are the first vertical farm to launch a branded salad into a major UK supermarket group with the launch of Fresh Leaf Co. into Iceland stores and this certification validates our commitment to food safety and quality through better food for all.”
by Becky Hawes | Jun 30, 2023 | News
Kate Hofman, Founder and Chief Brand Officer of GrowUp Farms, has been shortlisted for the prestigious 2023 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in two categories: the Sustainability Entrepreneur of the Year and the Equity-backed Entrepreneur of the year.
Now in its 11th year, and previously described as “The Grammys for Entrepreneurship”, The Great British Entrepreneur Awards recognise exceptional entrepreneurial spirit, dedication, and remarkable achievement within their industry. They celebrate the outstanding individuals and businesses that drive innovation, generate employment opportunities, and contribute to the growth of the UK economy. These awards serve as a platform to honour the remarkable stories of entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges, demonstrated resilience and made significant contributions to their communities.
In the past 10 years, the pioneering founder of GrowUp Farms, Kate Hofman, has taken the concept of vertical farming from a small aquaponic unit in London, to a significantly larger vertical farm, Pepperness, in Kent. This farm, which is backed by £100 million investment, is the first vertical farm to sell a branded bagged salad in a major UK supermarket. GrowUp Farms is also unique among UK vertical farms because it uses on-site renewable energy and can therefore grow food with a lighter environmental footprint.
The growth and success of GrowUp Farms has taken place in a decade of increasing concern about UK food production. The UK relies on importing 67% of the salad we eat each year, and over 90% in the winter. This year saw a 40-year low in domestic salad production – due mainly to soaring energy costs – and that, coupled with the UK’s over-reliance on other countries for its salad vegetables supplies, led to high-profile shortages in UK supermarkets.
Kate was honoured to be a guest at 10 Downing Street recently, at the Prime Minister’s Farm to Fork summit, at which industry experts discussed these challenges facing UK food production, and the international supply chain.
Talking about her nominations, Kate said: “I am thrilled to be shortlisted in two categories for the Great British Entrepreneur Awards. It’s a great feeling to receive recognition for the work that has taken place to get GrowUp Farms from a small unit in east London 10 years ago growing leaves to supply London restaurants, to securing a site for a significantly larger vertical farm and launching a salad brand into UK supermarkets.
“And along the way, so many people and businesses have believed in me and the brand and have played a really important role in helping GrowUp Farms go from success to success.”
The Great British Entrepreneur Awards have become one of the most coveted accolades for entrepreneurs across the UK, celebrating the nation’s diverse entrepreneurial landscape. The awards ceremony will take place on 20 November at London’s Grosvenor House, where industry leaders, innovators, and influencers will gather to celebrate the achievements of the finalists.
Founder of The Great British Entrepreneur Awards Francesca James says “Every year I am blown away with the quantity and quality of applications we receive, and this year is no exception. The Great British Entrepreneur Awards receives thousands of applications annually and the competition is tough. I am truly inspired by the remarkable accomplishments of this year’s finalists. Their collective achievements of generating over £2.7 billion in turnover and employing over 33,000 people demonstrate the exceptional impact they have made in their industries and communities. These entrepreneurs exemplify the spirit of innovation, resilience, and growth that drives the entrepreneurial landscape in the UK.”
For more information about the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, please visit www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com
