M&S launches vertically farmed salad leaves that last five days longer
M&S has launched three new vertically farmed salad leaves which it claims last five days longer, have more flavour, and use 96% less water than traditional production.
The salads are grown indoors in a controlled environment where temperature, light and water are precisely managed to ensure consistent conditions year round.
Subscribe to TRBAdvanced robotics are used to plant the seeds, which are cultivated in a specialist growing substrate rather than soil to allowing precise nutrients to be delivered directly to each plant. UV lighting maintains the optimal conditions needed for the leaves to thrive.
M&S said the fertiliser use is also reduced by around 97%, and crops are grown without the use of pesticides.
Because the leaves being grown in a controlled environment and harvested without soil, M&S said they can be picked at the optimal moment for consistent quality and flavour and packed within 60 seconds of harvest.
The three new salad varieties include Citrus Sorrel Baby Leaves, Spicy Baby Leaves and Baby Garlic Kale.
Andrew Clappen, director of technical for M&S Food, said: “The future of food is about finding new and innovative methods which put less pressure on the environment while delivering the best in market flavour and quality.
“These Collection salads are vertically grown exclusively for M&S and bring new flavours to our customers with a dramatically reduced water consumption – supporting our Plan A goal to reach net zero by 2040 across our supply chain.”
The products sit alongside M&S’s Plan A for Farming and its work with growers to improve soil health, biodiversity and use new sustainable methods for food production.
