Dutch vertical farming leader Growy expands its operations in Singapore
In 2019, the Singapore Food Agency announced its ambitious “30 by 30” vision, aiming to meet 30% of the country’s nutrient needs locally by 2030. Given Singapore’s limited land area, vertical farming has emerged as a promising solution for year-round crop production. leafy greens. 8World News recently had the opportunity to visit the Netherlands and explore Growy, the country’s largest vertical farm, as well as learn about their expansion plans in Singapore.
Automation and technology at Growy
Growy, led by CEO and founder Ard Van de Krieke, acquired vertical farming company Growx in 2019 and transformed it into a modern, high-tech vertical farming company. There are currently five vertical farms in the Netherlands, the largest of which is Groui. The farm specializes in growing leafy salad vegetables, herbs and microgreens.
Growy has developed its own operating system that automates the entire process: from sowing to harvesting and packaging. The entire farm is run by just five employees, two of whom supervise the packaging equipment and the rest ensure the systems run smoothly.
The farm uses an artificial intelligence system to monitor germination, growth, seed quality and detect any viral or bacterial infections. The system adjusts temperature and humidity as needed to optimize growing conditions. According to Laura van de Krieke, another key figure at Growy, the farm uses more than 90% less water for irrigation compared to traditional farms. However, unlike traditional greenhouses, vertical farms require more energy to maintain the optimal indoor temperature for leafy greens.
Mission and expansion plans
Growy’s mission is to provide delicious, healthy and affordable fresh vegetables. The farm currently supplies leafy greens and herbs to 150 local restaurants. With the opening of a new four-story, 12-meter-tall building in the Netherlands, the company plans to increase its customer base to another 300 restaurants.
Singapore’s expansion and global vision
In addition to the Netherlands, Grouy has established vertical farms in Kuwait and Singapore. The Singapore facility, located at the Changi Logistics Centre, began operations last month and is a key component of the country’s ’30 by 30′ concept. The initiative aims to ensure that 30% of Singapore’s nutrition needs are met locally by 2030, with two-thirds of this coming from vegetables and fruits and the remainder from protein sources such as meat and eggs.
Professor Veera Sekaran, director of the National University of Singapore’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture Technology, highlights the value of the technology in helping local farms manage costs and compete with imported produce.
In an interview with 8World News, Growie highlighted Singapore’s attractiveness due to its limited land, high prices for fresh salad vegetables and significant government support. They also announced plans to build a second vertical farm in Singapore this year or next to further increase production.
Grouy’s expansion into Singapore represents a significant step towards realizing the city-state’s “30 by 30” vision. Using advanced automation and artificial intelligence technology, Growy not only increases local food production, but also sets the benchmark for sustainable and efficient farming practices. As vertical farming continues to evolve, it holds great promise for solving food security problems in urban environments.
