Geert Hendrix and Serena Lee are not your typical farmers, yet they may be archetypes for agricultural professionals of the future.
The pair devised the innovative start-up Farmwall, a small-scale indoor farm offering for restaurants and cafes that allows chefs to grow and harvest their own herbs and micro greens in a space the size of a bookcase.
In our constantly developing world, the need for more efficient and sustainable ways of living is rapidly becoming a must. "Farmwall was a response to this call to action", notes Hendrix. The pair dared to imagine how our cities can be transformed into food-producing ecosystems.
Initially, Farmwall crowdfunded its first three vertical farms, which will be custom-designed and installed in restaurant kitchens and dining rooms after consultations with chefs and restaurateurs. Once chefs have selected the plants they want to serve, Farmwall will take care of the rest, making weekly visits with trays of germinated seeds.
Farmwall has now grown into an agrifood-tech company that designs urban farming technology and experiences to enhance fresh produce accessibility in city spaces. As Lee comments, "We're building an impact-driven market through highly nutritious microgreens, bringing sustainability, wellbeing and local food into our urban spaces."
Recently Farmwall partnered Glowpear on the indoor city farm Cultivate. and now counts top culinary destinations such as Top Paddock, developers such as Mirvac, and banks such as Westpac amongst a growing list of partners and clients interested in the Farmwall approach. As Hendrix elaborates about his collaborations, "We believe our cities can feed our planet, and that we can achieve wellbeing for all through education, sustainability and good nutrition."
Right on Geert, let's spread the urban jungle together, one city at a time!
For more information on Farmwall visit their website.
