AutoStore OnePointOne robotic vertical farm taps automated cubic storage, supplying Whole Foods Market stores

AutoStore and OnePointOne have unveiled what is pitched as the world’s first robotic vertical farm. Utilising automated cubic storage, this is supplying select Whole Foods Market stores with leafy greens and herbs.

At Opollo Farm, robots move crops through a precision controlled environment, adjusting their position to deliver a balance of water and nutrients. The result is harvest ready greens in 15 days - about half the time of traditional farming - and grown just miles from where they're consumed.

Opollo Farm is designed to tackle some of the biggest challenges in agriculture today: labour shortages, supply chain disruptions, water scarcity, and the demand for fresher, locally grown food.

“We’re constantly exploring new ways to bring fresh, sustainable food to our customers,” says Chris Petroulakis, Category Merchant for Produce at Whole Foods Market. “Opollo Farm is a perfect example of how advanced technology can revolutionise local agriculture, helping to deliver high quality, locally grown produce right to our stores faster and fresher than ever before.”

“Opollo Farm shows what’s possible when proven automation meets global challenges like food supply resilience and sustainability,” says Parth Joshi, Chief Product Officer at AutoStore. “Our work with OnePointOne highlights the versatility of AutoStore, moving and storing goods for everyone, everywhere, across diverse industries and use cases. From order fulfillment for leading brands to scaling urban farming, we're enabling smarter, more resilient solutions.”

“Traditional farming consumes vast amounts of water and land - resources that are becoming scarce,” says Sam Bertram, CEO at OnePointOne. “With AutoStore’s modular robotics and our plant production technology, we can grow food almost anywhere using a fraction of those resources. This collaboration helps overcome the cost and scalability challenges of vertical farming, finally making locally grown produce - the number one priority for US consumers - possible even in urban areas.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Robotics will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.