Infarm expands to 1,000 farms in Europe with $25M investment

Only 2 years after introducing the concept of in-store farming to the world, Infarm is now operating more than 50 farms across Berlin in supermarket aisles, restaurant kitchens, and distribution warehouses. Infarm's distributed farms are connected by the company's central farming platform, creating a first of its kind urban farming network. Each farm is a controlled ecosystem with growing recipes that tailor light, temperature, pH, and nutrients to ensure the maximum natural expression of each plant. Each farm acts as a data pipeline, sending information on plant growth to the Infarm platform 24/7 allowing it to learn, adjust, and optimise.

With an output of up to 1,200 plants per month from a single farm unit (2 sqm) Infarm has already enabled some locations to become completely self-sufficient in their herb production

The system forms the bedrock of Infarm’s Farming as a Service offering: the company can personalise its farms to each customer’s unique needs, growing different varieties for different supermarket locations or equalising the flavour of the produce to better suit the taste palate of a customer’s clientele.

The distributed farms are connected by Infarm’s central farming platform, creating a first of its kind urban farming network.

The company has integrated in-store farming into EDEKA and METRO locations, two of Germany's largest food retailers, where it grows dozens of premium quality herbs and leafy greens, sold at affordable prices. A single 2 sqm farm has an output of up to 1,200 plants per month.

Balderton Capital are lead Series A investors in Infarm, alongside TriplePoint Capital, and Mons Investments LLC, as well as previous investors Cherry Ventures, QUADIA and LocalGlobe. Infarm was founded in 2013 by Osnat Michaeli and brothers Erez and Guy Galonska.

Balderton Partner Daniel Waterhouse comments: “Urban living is growing unrelentingly across the world and societies are at a point where they have to confront big existential questions such as how to feed their growing populations sustainably. Infarm is right at the forefront of a new wave of companies setting out to tackle the inefficiencies in the current food supply chain by making it possible to grow fresh produce right in the heart of our communities. We are delighted to be backing a company whose mission we believe in so passionately.”

Currently based in Berlin, Infarm will launch operations in Paris, London, Copenhagen, and other German cities later this year.

For more information:
Balderton Capital
The Stables
28 Britannia street
London WC1X 9JF
+44 (0) 20 7016 6800
+44 (0) 20 7016 6810
www.balderton.com

Infarm
Glogauerstr. 6 10999 Berlin
+49 30 58846540
infarm.de