Marks and Spencer and Infarm report urban farming progress

M&S and Infarm have completed the first phase of an urban farming partnership, announced in September.

A selection of herbs are now freshly grown and harvested in six more M&S stores across London: Bromley, Ealing Broadway, Kensington, Kings Road, Marble Arch and Stratford City, alongside the launch store site at Clapham Junction.

M&S used trading data of its existing fresh herb range to identify the right sites for the first stage – three of the top five UK stores in terms of sales are included (Kensington, Kings Road and Marble Arch).

Infarm’s technology combines vertical farming units with IOT technologies and machine learning, to deliver a controlled ecosystem with the optimum amount of light, air and nutrients. Each unit is remotely controlled using a cloud-based platform, which learns, adjusts and continuously improves to ensure each plant grows better than the last one.

“Our farming unit has been a real talking point since we re-opened in September and is helping change the perception of M&S Food in the local area. The farm brings a feeling of real freshness to our product offer and customers have been keen to discuss its sustainability benefits too,” says Joe Erskine, Store Manager at M&S Food Clapham Junction.

“The feedback on the product quality and flavour has been outstanding, with coriander topping the list as our best-selling line in the range – ideal for adding an extra flavour punch to a curry.”

Each in-store farm unit uses 95% less water and 75% less fertiliser than traditional soil-based agriculture. Measuring just two square metres, these farms are capable of producing the equivalent crop of 400 square metres of farmland.

With installation now complete, the seedlings have been planted in all six stores and will be ready for harvesting over the next couple of weeks. As Christmas fast approaches, M&S has added fresh thyme to the selection. This will be sold alongside Italian and Bordeaux basil, mint, mountain coriander and flat-leaf parsley.