Swedish In-S tore Farming Model Attracts International Interest
Singapore Weighs Swegreen's Indoor Farming Model to Reduce Food Import Reliance
Singapore faces significant challenges in strengthening its food security. A Swedish solution that enables fresh
produce to be grown indoors has attracted interest at the national level as a potential way to reduce the country’s
dependence on food imports.
Foo Cexiang, Singapore’s Minister of State for Trade and Industry, visited ICA Maxi in Solna alongside a ministerial delegation to explore how Swegreen’s in-store farming technology could help strengthen domestic food production in Singapore. The farming installation visited by the delegation has been in operation for five years.
Singapore currently imports more than 90 percent of its food, making the country particularly vulnerable to global disruptions, ranging from geopolitical tensions and policy decisions to disease outbreaks. One recent example is the COVID-19 pandemic, which, according to the Singapore Food Agency, disrupted global supply chains and affected the country’s food supply. Growing fresh produce in controlled indoor environments, such as grocery stores and restaurants, could help Singapore strengthen its local food production.
“The visit to Swegreen provided valuable insights into how innovative food production technologies can be integrated into existing retail environments. We continue to strengthen the resilience of Singapore’s food supply, including through efforts to increase local production. As part of these efforts, we welcome companies to explore opportunities for partnerships and collaborations that drive innovation and support the development of commercially viable agritech solutions,” says Foo Cexiang, Minister of State for Trade and Industry.
At ICA Maxi in Solna, Swegreen owns the farming installation and provides the technology, cultivation management and maintenance services through a subscription-based model. The retailer retains all revenue from the sale of the produce, supporting the store’s profitability.
“Sweden and Singapore are two small countries that both depend on imported fresh produce. Our model can help more businesses secure their own production while ensuring that each farming installation is profitable. This is one of the reasons why five out of six stores operating our larger systems have chosen to renew their contracts. Consumers benefit from fresh produce grown directly in-store, while we make it easy for our retail partners to create an inspiring shopping environment and manage the growing process with minimal effort,” says Anders Eriksson, CEO of Swegreen.
During the visit, discussions also covered smaller farming systems for environments such as schools, hospitals, hotels and elderly care facilities, with the aim of strengthening food security and resilience in both Sweden and Singapore.
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Topic world Food safety
Food safety is at the heart of the food and beverage industry. It ensures that the food we eat every day is not only nutritious, but also free of harmful contaminants. From field to plate, the industry monitors and regulates every step of the process with strict quality controls, advanced testing methods and continuous research.
Topic world Food safety
Food safety is at the heart of the food and beverage industry. It ensures that the food we eat every day is not only nutritious, but also free of harmful contaminants. From field to plate, the industry monitors and regulates every step of the process with strict quality controls, advanced testing methods and continuous research.