Zurich - UMAMI is building a new indoor farm for microgreens and herbs in Zurich. This will require around 90 percent less water and land than a conventional greenhouse. The start-up raised the requisite funding for this project in a Series A financing round.

UMAMI is seeking to increase its production capacity fivefold. To this end, the start-up, which specializes in the area of indoor farming of microgreens and herbs, is embarking on a construction project to build a new farm in Zurich. The company secured the capital required for this in a Series A financing round, as UMAMI writes in a press release. In specific terms, a sum of 4.3 million Swiss francs was raised from this financing round.  

Microgreens are plants in a growth stage between sprouts and fully grown plants. At this stage, the plant is characterized by a very high content of essential oils, vitamins, proteins and minerals. At present, UMAMI grows microgreens and herbs at an industrial hall located in the Altstetten district of Zurich.

“Ever more customers are looking for locally grown, pesticide-free products that they can rely on throughout the year”, comments UMAMI co-founder Denis Weinberg in the press release. “Our increased production capacity allows us to meet this growing demand while at the same time maintaining the highest standards in relation to sustainability and taste”, he adds.

The new farm is planned as a biological recirculation system that will require 90 percent less water and 89 percent less land than conventional greenhouses. A biological fertilizer developed and produced by UMAMI itself is to be used to fertilize the microgreens and herbs cultivated at the new farm.

At the new farm, UMAMI also plans to establish a research and development department to explore the cultivation of new products, whereby the company refers to crops such as tomatoes and strawberries in this context. ce/hs

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