Fresh Direct has partnered with vertical farming group Fischer Farms to launch a range of British-grown herbs and leafy greens. The UK food supplier will sell vertically farmed fresh produce, including basil and watercress, grown in Fischer Farms' farm in Norwich.
The four-acre farm can produce the same amount of food as 1,000 acres of conventional farmland, making it more productive than traditional methods.
Tom Bartlett, trading manager, at Fresh Direct said: "The partnership with Fischer Farms will lead the way in the foodservice industry. It will help to deliver year-round quality and consistency. And, importantly for chefs, the product will be high quality and look and taste fresher as it will not have to stand up to the rigors of a very difficult supply chain."
Jon Cummings, sales director at Fischer Farms, said vertical farming can counteract the issues of delivering fresh quality food grown thousands of miles away, and instead "can produce the freshest, highest quality produce, that chefs will love, all year round."
He added the technique could also help with meeting food service clients' "environmental agenda".
Source: The Caterer