Vertical Field Launches Vertical Farms In Russia And Ukraine

Israel’s Vertical Field, a developer of smart vertical growing solutions for fresh produce, announced on Thursday that it has partnered with major retail chains in Russia and Ukraine. As part of the partnership, the company will set up vertical farms inside Magnit, one of Russia’s largest food retailers, and Varus, the Ukrainian supermarket chain.

The first of these vertical farms have already opened this month in Dnipro, Ukraine and Krasnodar, Russia, and are providing a steady harvest of fresh and healthy greens, which are sold at the retail stores, the company’s announcement said.

“Produce will reach the shelf in a matter of minutes, immediately after being harvested from the vertical farm, and customers will clearly see where the greens came from. This technology is environmentally friendly, optimizes processes, and improves product quality,” Vyacheslav Krasnoyarov, director for in-house production at Magnit retail chain.

Vertical Field, the Israeli agro-technology company owned by Israeli businessman Michael Mirilashvili, develops vertical farming systems for smart cities. The Company develops proprietary technologies to grow fresh and healthy food with its innovative “vertical fields” that fit within the urban sphere. Vertical Field’s indoor farm is a mobile unit that grows leafy greens such as lettuce, oaky green lettuce, spinach, and basil. The mobile soil-based platform uses 90 percent less water and land than is required for growing greenery in a traditional field. LED lights, which can be controlled remotely through an application, are used for intensive growth of greenery and can provide each crop with the precise wavelengths it needs to flourish. In addition, the module is equipped with sensors that allow real-time monitoring of the plants’ condition. Harvest is produced every two to three days and takes mere minutes from the moment of harvesting to hitting the shelves. Direct sale of this produce will reduce logistic costs and supply fresh crops regardless of the season.

Menni Bushuev, VP Business Development of Beer Itzhak Energy, shareholders of Vertical Field, said: “We are very excited to continue developing these partnerships with Magnit and Varus, who have strategically chosen Vertical Field as an innovative method of meeting the current and future needs of their region vis-à-vis food security. As climate change increases extreme weather events and depletes food resources, regions such as Russia and Ukraine must be equipped with up-and-coming technologies that can guarantee consistent food supplies. We look forward to spearheading the way with them, and ushering in an era of sustainable, reliable, and healthy agriculture.”