![Building a more resilient food supply chain in the UK]()
by GrowUp Admin | Apr 11, 2023 | News
View the video below to discover how GrowUp Farms, a salad-growing vertical farm has scaled up with the help of Barclays and Unreasonable Impact.
Unreasonable Impact is a partnership between Barclays and Unreasonable Group that supports high-growth entrepreneurs working on social and environmental challenges.
“We believe that solving the world’s toughest problems is not only a moral imperative — it’s also an unprecedented financial opportunity.” Unreasonable Impact.
Unreasonable Impact is a global movement dedicated to scaling up growth-stage entrepreneurs operating at the nexus of advanced technology, global impact, and profit. We are actively scaling business solutions dedicated to solving pressing global challenges while rapidly creating the jobs of tomorrow. First established in 2016 and spanning across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific, we are supporting 269+ ventures that are headquartered in 28 countries, have collectively raised more than $10 bn+ in financing, have mitigated 80 m+ metric tons of CO2 equivalent from our atmosphere, and are actively supporting more than 19,000+ full-time employees. Barclays and the team at Unreasonable co-founded this global initiative with one goal in mind — leverage capitalism as a tool to create a more just, sustainable, and equitable future.
by GrowUp Admin | Apr 10, 2023 | News
GrowUp Farms is thrilled to announce our membership with Produced in Kent, the leading trade organization dedicated to supporting and promoting food, drink, and craft businesses in Kent. Established in 2005, Produced in Kent represents over 200 growers, producers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and hospitality businesses across Kent and Medway. Their network champions quality, provenance, and sustainability while fostering a vibrant community of local entrepreneurs.
At GrowUp Farms, we share Produced in Kent’s passion for sustainability and local produce. Located at our Pepperness farm in East Kent, we are proud to be part of Kent’s flourishing food and farming scene. Our vertically farmed salads, including the Fresh Leaf Co.® range, embody our commitment to growing delicious, sustainable, and affordable produce all year round, right here in the UK. Joining Produced in Kent strengthens our connection to the region’s thriving food community and allows us to collaborate with like-minded innovators.
Kate Hofman, Founder and Chief Brand Officer of GrowUp Farms, says: “We are delighted to have joined Produced in Kent. At our farm in East Kent, we’re proud to be part of the area’s thriving local food and farming community. Produced in Kent’s values align perfectly with our mission to innovate in food production while supporting local networks.”
We’re excited to participate in the upcoming Future Food Forum in Canterbury on Friday, 28th April, where we’ll showcase our pioneering work in vertical farming at the Innovation Lab. This is an excellent opportunity to highlight how we’re revolutionizing food production, tackling food waste, and building resilience in the UK food system—all while supporting Kent’s local economy.
As proud members of Produced in Kent, we’re looking forward to furthering our mission to grow sustainable, locally sourced food and to contributing to Kent’s dynamic food landscape.
![Building a more resilient food supply chain in the UK]()
by GrowUp Admin | Mar 11, 2023 | News
Kate Hofman, Founder and Chief Brand Officer of GrowUp Farms speaks to ITV about Pepperness and our Fresh Leaf Co. salad, and the role that farms like ours can play in building resilience into UK food and farming.
Watch here: 
![Building a more resilient food supply chain in the UK]()
by GrowUp Admin | Mar 11, 2023 | News
Kate Hofman, Founder and Chief Brand Officer of GrowUp Farms spokes to BBC South East about supplying year-round from our farm, Pepperness, and bringing more resilience to UK food and farming.
In the UK, vertical farming can relieve pressure on our supply chains, take the strain off outdoor field growers, and increase the stability of our food system.
See the news article here:
by GrowUp Admin | Feb 28, 2023 | News
Fresh Leaf Co.® has launched into the prepped salad category with its new red + green mix. The brand, created by GrowUp Farms, will initially be available exclusively in selected Iceland stores nationwide. Fresh Leaf Co. gives shoppers affordable and tasty salad that stays fresher in your fridge.
The UK relies on importing 67% of the salad we eat each year, and over 90% in the winter. Fresh Leaf Co. will help keep salad on the shelf while the UK battles with supply chain issues. Every leaf is grown and packed in the UK in a vertical farm, using 100% renewable energy.
GrowUp Farms, a pioneer in UK vertical farming, has been producing restaurant-quality greens for almost a decade. Vertical Farming is a way of growing food indoors under LED lighting with complete control of the growing environment. In the perfect conditions on a vertical farm, plants are grown without pesticides. They are ready to eat and have a naturally long shelf life.
The red + green mix is a combination of rich red and crispy green baby lettuce leaves. The naturally longer-lasting leaves solve the big problem of bagged salad going to waste. 63% of shoppers say they would buy more bagged salad, and buy it more often if they knew they would waste less.
Lisa Bell at Fresh Leaf Co. says “The launch of Fresh Leaf Co.’s red + green mix into Iceland shows how innovation and technology can support UK food and farming to build resilience and become more self-sufficient. We created the brand in direct response to the never-ending pressure on shoppers’ purse strings. People want to eat healthily and don’t want to waste food or money. From 28th February, Iceland customers will be able to add our great tasting leaves into their weekly shop!”
Andrew Staniland, Group Trading Director at Iceland says “Having Fresh Leaf Co. on our shelves gives Iceland shoppers an affordable salad that’s grown year-round in the UK. Shopping on a budget doesn’t have to mean compromising on healthy eating or sustainable values.
Our Doing It Right Plan means we’re committed to selling affordable, quality British-grown food, and giving Iceland customers sustainable choices – Fresh Leaf Co. allows us to do both.”
Fresh Leaf Co. salad will be on selected Iceland shelves from 28th February priced at £1.
