Jones Food’s vertical farm in Scunthorpe, which grows fresh herbs under lights in a warehouse.
Credit: Holly Challinor
Ocado is investing £17m in high-tech farming with the aim of growing herbs and other produce alongside its robot-run distribution centres around the world.
The online grocery specialist has bought a 58% stake in Jones Food, a “vertical farm” that grows 420 tonnes of basil, parsley and coriander a year in stacked trays under 12km (7.5 miles) of LED lights in a warehouse in Scunthorpe. The grower currently supplies businesses such as sandwich maker Greencore.
Duncan Tatton-Brown, finance director of Ocado, said the group could open at least 10 more similar farms within five years. He said it could take less than a year to build a Jones Food facility and the two companies were now considering how Ocado’s expertise in robotics and AI could be used to make Jones Food more efficient.
James Lloyd-Jones, chief executive of Jones Food, said the group’s Scunthorpe farm […]
These vertical farms are failing as businesses. It’s stupid to shut out natural sunlight, and also costly. Search for “simple hydroponics” to find out what people are doing in India and Africa with very little money.
The Dutch are having tremendous success with greenhouse farming, which, with the climate crisis offers protection from excessive, and destructive elements. I’ve spoken to several farmers, and have read reports that many believe greenhouse farming is the future.
I like that this shows a vertical trend. That said, the use of robots is disturbing. People need jobs. But there’s another element in this that disturbs me and that is the relationship between the human farmer, plants and soil. Of course, esp. the farmer who doesn’t use toxic sprays.
As a farmer , I have yet to see a system either indoors or in water which creates healthy food. Maybe progress is being made on that. The dance of the microbes with the plant roots and exudates to create healthy nutrient dense and resilient plants just can’t be matched. It evolved over thousands and millions of years. Everyone is looking for a simple yet hi-tech solution. The real solution is in creating many more small family farms all over the world. And the large farms and ranches converting to a regenerative system.
I totally agree with you Mr. Wilson; the natural way is the best way to grow healthy food.