Fresh Direct partners with Norwich vertical farming company

Fresh Direct has partnered with vertical farming group Fischer Farms to launch a range of British-grown herbs and leafy greens.

The UK food supplier will sell vertically farmed fresh produce, including basil and watercress, grown in Fischer Farms' farm in Norwich.

The partnership aims to improve supply chain sustainability and avoid products being transported across continents before reaching customers.

As well as the sustainability benefits that come with growing produce in the UK, vertical farming could also help address some of the logistical issues currently facing the food industry, including crop quality and availability, and environmental concerns around air freight and food miles.

In addition, the four-acre farm can produce the same amount of food as 1,000 acres of conventional farmland, making it more productive than traditional methods.

Tom Bartlett, trading manager, Fresh Direct said: "The partnership with Fischer Farms will lead the way in the foodservice industry. It will help to deliver year-round quality and consistency. And, importantly for chefs, the product will be high quality and look and taste fresher as it will not have to stand up to the rigours of a very difficult supply chain."

Jon Cummings, sales director at Fischer Farms, said vertical farming can counteract the issues of delivering fresh quality food grown thousands of miles away, and instead "can produce the freshest, highest quality produce, that chefs will love, all-year round".

He added the technique could also help with meet foodservice clients' "environmental agenda".