News | Industry Updates


Herb growing vending machine


Masters students from Wageningen University in the Netherlands have developed a vertical farming vending machine, FarmVent, for use in supermarkets. While vertical farming is not new, biosystems engineering students Nikolaos Alfieris and Orestis Spirou say vertical farming in the supermarket is new. Their concept: breeding and harvesting live in store in a smart


greenhouse is regarded as a sustainable solution. The two-metre- high machine offers the customer a selection of 500 dew-fresh herbs, displayed over four shelves of one square metre each. A customer only needs to push a button to select and harvest their own favourite herb on the spot. The obvious advantage is that herbs such as basil, mint, thyme


and sage no longer need to be transported from the nursery to a distribution centre and then on to the consumer. In addition, the breeding process is exceptionally efficient. It


requires 90 per cent less water, and the protected environment reduces the use of pesticides and fertilisers by 75 per cent.


“There is also less waste: the customer only harvests if the


product is sold. Where herbs quickly perish in the normal vegetable section, in the FarmVent they continue to grow, and therefore remain fresh for much longer,” says Nikolaos. The FarmVent students say they realise that fresh herbs will not


feed millions of people, however Nikolas says: “It is a step in that direction. We must start somewhere, and herbs are the easiest to start with: they are sold as a plant and are nice to look at. This is important. The customer must be willing to buy.” More products will grow in the FarmVent in the future, he expects, such as leafy greens and strawberries, for example.” Nikolas adds: “The vending machine is an extra sales outlet for existing breeders. We only provide the technology – cameras and sensors that continuously monitor the greenhouse environment. This data is used to optimise the growth process automatically.” The team is already in talks with growers and supermarkets. The


first customers are expected to buy their herbs from a vending machine in 2021. A pilot project will start in The Netherlands.


Partnership to expand Smartfridge offer


Selecta, the route-based unattended self-service provider, has signed a long-standing exclusive partnership agreement with Instant Systems Sweden to expand the Group’s Smartfridge offer across its European markets. Selecta introduced the concept in Sweden in June through the


launch of two new smartfridge solutions: Selecta Deli and Selecta Minicooler. Selecta designed the 24/7 self-service solutions to provide simple and flexible catering solutions for different workplace needs. The unattended alternative to kiosks and small canteens offers a


range of fresh and convenient food, salads, sandwiches, snacks, coffee and chilled drinks at the workplace. They can be operated


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quickly and easily via an app or credit card, and provide workplaces with a secure, theft-free and convenient catering option. Christian Schmitz, chief executive of Selecta Group, said: “We understand the importance of providing employees with convenient access to a wide range of food and drink grab-and-go options. We’ve had a fantastic response to our Smartfridges since we launched the concept earlier this year, and we’re delighted to be partnering with Instant Systems to further expand this offering across our European markets.” Kristian Silbvers, chief executive of Instant Systems, said: “We are


thrilled to be working closely with Selecta. No other operator in Europe has the capacity to roll out and operate this new technology to the scale that Selecta can. Together we aim to set a new standard within the market, improving millions of people’s day-to-day convenience. This partnership is also strategically important for Instant Systems since the massive growth of transactions ensures that our technology continues to evolve and continues to remain state-of-the-art.”


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