British households buy around £16 billion worth of fruit and vegetables a year, but consumer confidence in food is dropping. And when you look at the long, complicated and costly journey that much of our fresh produce takes to get from farm to fork, it’s hardly surprising. Take a bag of rocket, for example…
During the winter months, the rocket sold in Britain would usually be grown under glass in a warmer country like Spain. The leaves would be picked manually, boxed up and flown to a UK processing plant. There they would be trimmed, sorted and washed several times in chlorinated water to remove contaminants from soil and the pickers’ hands as well as chemical pesticides and herbicides. They might also undergo extra microbial treatments, because traditionally grown and packaged salad leaves carry a particularly high risk of containing food poisoning bacteria like salmonella and E. coli. After being packed and sealed, the bagged rocket would be passed through a metal detector to check for any small pieces of metal that might have come off the production line during processing, before being distributed to supermarkets across the country. This process uses enormous amounts of water and is responsible for significant carbon emissions. Moreover, by the time the leaves eventually reach the end consumer, they are often limp and flavourless with a limited shelf life.
We founded The Clean Food Company because we believe there’s a better way. New aeroponic vertical agriculture technologies are making locally grown, British crops of seasonal fruit, vegetables, salads and herbs an all-year-round reality. Completely controlled, automated and ultra-hygienic indoor farming environments mean there is no need to wash produce – it’s impeccably clean and safe to eat from the moment it’s picked. With no need for endless processing, the produce reaches the consumer quickly and seamlessly, in excellent condition. What’s more, it’s good for the planet as well as for people, with up to 98% less water usage and up to 70% less carbon emitted.
