Marks & Spencer is bringing something new to British shoppers - the UK's first own-label vertically farmed salad range.
It aims to solve the problem of opening a bag of salad only to find it has gone limp after a couple of days.
These new leaves stay fresh for up to five days longer than your average bagged salad, which means less food waste and more time to enjoy them.
The range features three exclusive varieties grown using cutting-edge robotics, and they are only available at M&S Food stores across the country.
These new leaves stay fresh for up to five days longer than your average bagged salad
|M&S
The three varieties on offer are Citrus Sorrel Baby Leaves, Spicy Baby Leaves, and Baby Garlic Kale – flavours you won't find anywhere else and have been described as "more flavoursome" than other options.
The salads are grown indoors where temperature, lighting and water are precisely controlled to create perfect growing conditions year-round.
Advanced robotics handles the seed planting, while the leaves grow in a special substrate rather than soil, delivering exactly the right nutrients for each plant. UV lights keep everything at optimal levels for growth.
Because there is no soil involved, the leaves can be harvested at just the right moment and packed within 60 seconds.
FOOD NEWS
It is also beneficial for the environment. The vertical farming method uses 96 per cent less water than traditional salad production and cuts fertiliser use by around 97 per cent, with no pesticides used.
The new range forms part of M&S's Plan A for Farming, a five-year sustainability commitment the retailer launched last year.
Through this programme, M&S is working towards a more sustainable future for food production while also supporting conventional farmers in adopting regenerative practices.
Three varieties are on offer
|M&S
Director of technical for M&S Food, Andrew Clappen, said: "The future of food is about finding new and innovative methods which put less pressure on the environment while delivering the best in market flavour and quality.
"These Collection salads are vertically grown exclusively for M&S and bring new flavours to our customers with a dramatically reduced water consumption, supporting our Plan A goal to reach net zero by 2040 across our supply chain."
Co-Founder & CEO for Planet Farms, Daniele, added: "Today marks a major milestone for Planet Farms and for the future of fresh produce in the UK and Ireland. After years of close collaboration and joint development with M&S, we are incredibly proud to launch four M&S own-label products nationwide and deliver the UK's first own-label vertically farmed salad range.
"This achievement reflects the uncompromising approach to quality and innovation and the passion for exceptional produce that brought Planet Farms and M&S together in the first place. We are excited to bring these new products to customers across the country."
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