UK-based Fischer Farms has announced the completion of what it claims has the largest growing area of any vertical farm in the UK.

Constructed by Clegg Food Projects, the climate-controlled facility is located in Norfolk and covers 25,000 square metres of growing space. The facility will supply leaf salad, leafy herbs and other fresh produce to UK supermarkets and other customers.

The facility, known as Farm 2, utilizes an energy-efficient LED-based lighting system to produce crops on four acres of land, yielding 240 tonnes more leafy greens than conventional farming, the brand claimed. The company’s first vertical farm – Farm 1 – opened in 2019 in Burton-on-Trent, providing 3,200 square metres of growing space.

Tristan Fischer, CEO of Fischer Farms, said the facility was completed to the “highest spec, and is at the cutting edge of vertical farming technology, enabling us to provide customers with the very best, sustainably grown fresh produce.”

According to its website, in the next few years, Fischer Farms plans to scale up the production of salads and herbs significantly, while expanding into other crops such as soft fruit. “Our long-term vision is to grow soya beans, rice, and wheat in significant volumes and at price points that compare favourably to global commodity prices.”