First in-store vertical farm launched

Added on 26 April 2022

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PICK n Pay has become the first South African retailer to launch in-store "vertical farms" to show customers a sustainable and locally-grown modern farming solution. The vertical farms will grow various lettuce leaves and herbs from seeds, right in Pick n Pay's fruit and vegetable section.

This innovative farming method display in-store is a growing trend globally with supermarkets in Europe and US, such as Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Whole Foods Market, introducing grown in-store leaf.

Vertical farming is a sustainable and low carbon farming method using 95% less water, 85% less fertiliser and no pesticides.

Liz van Niekerk, Head of Produce and Horticulture at Pick n Pay, says the displays should pique the interest of and strongly appeal to environmentally-minded customers, but especially the youth, who will be able to see first-hand how produce grows and help connect them more to farming.

The initiative is in partnership with CAN-Agri - a vertical, hydroponic, greenhouse farm in Pretoria - which has been a supplier to Pick n Pay for over three years, supplying produce under the PnP label.

The Pick n Pay-CAN-Agri in-store vertical farm has eight vertical 'growing stacks', each containing 10 plants, and will be a method demonstration of CAN-Agri's commercial facility which has 24 rows with 200 'growing stacks' spanning 6 m high. While CAN-Agri maximises sunlight from its greenhouse, grow lights will be used in-store as the produce won't have exposure to natural light.