A HORTICULTURAL company in Coventry is launching a ground-breaking system for growing crops indoors.
V-Farm, which is a spin-off of leading European manufacturer and distributor of indoor plants HydroGarden, has spent the last seven years developing a vertical farming concept from its base in Progress Way on the Binley Industrial Estate.
It is designed to be used world-wide from a rooftop in Canada to a warehouse in Hong Kong by using the latest hydroponics technology – which is the process of growing plants indoors – through a mobile rack structure fitted with trays, lighting and ventilation equipment which can be adapted to meet the available space.
Stuart Green, of V-Farm, contacted the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub to discuss grant opportunities.
The business secured a £10,000 Proof of Concept grant which forms part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme.
Stuart said: “We wanted to put the years of experience from HydroGarden towards making an impact on food production by starting to use vertical farming techniques to develop the technology to grow food in countries where maybe space or transport are an issue.
“We believe our food production technology produces better quality produce because less nutrients are being lost to ship it across oceans and it is building towards a greener, more sustainable future.
“Food production is a global market and years have been spent developing the technology but it has not been commercialised until now.”
“We knew we had a great product but we needed help in taking it to market.”
Justine Chadwick, account manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, said V-Farm has developed a flexible high-tech product which is really exciting.
She said: “One of the many ways we assist SMEs in Coventry and Warwickshire is by supporting their innovative ideas to help with their growth plans.
“V-Farm’s new urban farming idea has been brilliantly developed and now manufactured here in Coventry to maximise areas throughout the world where food can be grown.
“It is also reducing our carbon footprint which will help businesses reach their net zero targets.”
