Sal Jafar, CEO of ESG Mena interviewed Mehlam Murtaza, E-Director of UNS Vertical Farms, to find out about how the industry can become more sustainable in the MENA region through thoughtful production and distribution, and well-considered financing.
In a bid to advance the popularity of sustainable, yet artistic and aesthetically pleasing snacks, House of Pops and Emirates Bustanica have announced a collaboration. This partnership merges the innovative strengths of both brands, culminating in two new collections – the Blooming Collection and the Vitality Collection.
This collaboration highlights House of Pops’ commitment to sustainability, wellness and craftsmanship, while Emirate Bustanica’s premium ingredients, grown using cutting-edge vertical farming techniques, bring quality and freshness to the partnership.
“Leveraging our organisation’s massive capabilities to collaborate and innovate with home-grown businesses and entrepreneurs is one of the more exciting parts of our agenda”, said Shahreyar Nawabi, CEO of Emirates Flight Catering.
“This partnership is a celebration of shared values – a commitment to sustainability, a passion for delivering unparalleled quality, and a dedication to showcasing the best innovations born right here in Dubai. The use of our edible flowers within the ice lollies is a brilliant blend of creativity and innovation – art, taste and aesthetics all delivered using the freshest, locally grown inputs. I can’t wait for everyone to experience the magic of this collaboration and all that it will produce.”
The collaboration also underscores House of Pops’ ongoing commitment to innovation. Known for its focus on natural, plant-based ingredients, House of Pops’ new range prioritises flavour but also champions environmental stewardship.
The Blooming Collection features three flavours that combine fruit-forward tastes with edible flowers: Orange Passion Bloom, Rosey Lemonade and Citrus Sunshine.
The Vitality Collection offers a nutritious twist with two vegetable-fruit fusions designed to boost overall wellbeing: Lemon Apple Boost, a blend of lemon, apple, spinach, kale, and ginger; and Beet It, a mix of beetroot and fruits. These “detox pops” reflect a shared commitment to health and sustainability.
“We are beyond thrilled to see this partnership come to life, and with a company like Emirates Bustanica that provides the freshest premium ingredients from the world’s largest vertical farm here in the UAE”, said Mazen Kanaan, Co-Founder of House of Pops. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for us at House of Pops, and a great sign that when we remain committed to our values of sustainability, wellness, and purity, the business will continue to flourish with partnerships like this.”
The new collections will be available in the first phase at House of Pops outlets and online, with plans for broader distribution across more touch-points in the near future.
UAE-headquartered AgriTech company iFarm has begun construction of a robotic vertical farm equipped with its technologies in Switzerland for client Hygrow, it has announced.
The vertical farm, set to begin operations next summer, will have a 1,031 m² cultivation area and utilise iFarm StackGrow technology, a fully automated system with mobile trays for growing plants on vertical farms.
According to the company, the robotic vertical farm will have automated systems for planting, washing trays, and cutting plants.
It was shared that it will produce greens, amounting to several tons per month, distributed to the country’s major retail chains.
Seen as offering a more sustainable agricultural solution, the vertical farming industry witnessed a period of significant growth and investment in recent years. However, with high costs and energy demand, labour challenges, a dip in investment, and a number of other issues, this success was followed by headwinds, with leading players going bankrupt and closing the shutters.
Commenting on this, Alex Lyskovsky, founder and CEO at iFarm, said: “In recent years, we saw significant challenges for the vertical farming industry in Europe. iFarm successfully navigated this period, thanks to various projects in the MENA countries and Indonesia.”
Lyskovsky said that following this period, the company has now “re-emerged” in the European market.
“We are excited to work with iFarm to bring this innovative technology to Switzerland. We believe that the Swiss market could really benefit from a sustainable alternative to conventional farming and imported greens,” added Hygrow.
Costa Coffee and agritech farm Bustanica have announced the signing of a partnership, whereby all Costa grab-and-go salads will incorporate Bustanica’s locally grown lettuce.
Bustanica, a subsidiary of Emirates Flight Catering, is the world’s largest indoor vertical farm, located in Dubai, UAE. It utilises hydroponic technology, which enables fresh lettuce to be grown all year round while using 95 per cent less water than traditional farming.
According to the company, this means every container of salad from Costa Coffee helps save over 20 litres of water.
“Our partnership with Bustanica reflects our dedication to sustainability and our support for local businesses,” said Tyrone Reid, Group Chief Executive Officer of MMI & Emirates Leisure Retail, Costa Coffee’s international franchise partner.
“This marks a significant step in our goal to not only offer great food but also to contribute positively to the environment and our communities.”
Feras Al Soufi, General Manager at Bustanica, commented: “We are thrilled to introduce Bustanica’s top-quality lettuce to Costa Coffee’s menu. Our mission at Bustanica is to make healthy, fresh, and nutritious produce accessible to all. This partnership brings us one step closer to that aim, enabling us to offer easy, healthy choices to Costa Coffee’s customers throughout the UAE.”
Emirates Flight Catering has fully acquired Emirates Bustanica, formerly Emirates Crop One, and its consumer brand, Bustanica, the world’s largest indoor vertical farm, making Emirates Bustanica a fully UAE-owned company.
Bustanica’s 330,000 sqft facility has the capacity to grow more than one million kilograms of leafy greens a year, equivalent to 3 tonnes daily, using 95 per cent less water than conventional agriculture.
It is located near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central.
Operating under the brand name Bustanica, the produce is available across all major retailers in the UAE, such as Spinney’s, Waitrose, Carrefour, and Choithrams.
Produce is also incorporated into the salads and meals of air travel customers flying with Emirates and other airlines.
Bustanica, it was shared, is driven by machine learning, artificial intelligence, and other patented technologies, staffed with a specialised in-house team that includes agronomy experts, engineers, horticulturists, and plant scientists.
Its produce is grown without pesticides or herbicides, with offerings including a variety of lettuce, spinach, parsley, and kale.