The Hippo Harvest greenhouse in Pescadero, California, combines robotics, automated cultivation systems, and high-tech lighting solutions to achieve efficiency and sustainability in food production. They are growing lettuce with an emphasis on precision agriculture.
From conventional to high-tech
When Craig Adams of California Lightworks visits Hippo Harvest, the first thing that stands out is the seamless integration of robotics into greenhouse operations. "This is one of the most exciting greenhouse transformations we've seen," he notes. Hippo Harvest began with a traditional greenhouse model but has evolved into a high-tech operation by introducing automation to significantly reduce water usage, labor costs, and material handling.
Alejandro, the operations supervisor, explains that they are growing exclusively lettuce at the moment, including different varieties of leafy greens both individually and in mixtures. "These greens are sold in bulk bags to restaurants and hotels or in small clamshells to retail outlets," he adds. The model initially focused on lettuce but has now expanded to trials with spinach and other leafy greens like kale and arugula.
Robotics in greenhouse operations
Hippo Harvest uses off-the-shelf robots that have been adapted for agricultural tasks. Eitan Marder-Eppstein, CEO and one of the founders of Hippo Harvest, elaborated on the technical side of things: "We buy the hardware, but the software is all custom and bespoke." The robots, originally designed for warehouse spaces, have been retrofitted for greenhouse environments. "They take over important functions such as transporting plants, watering, fertigation, pest control, and plant monitoring," he explains.
One of the key aspects of this robotic system is its ability to collect and analyze data in real time. "Each robot is equipped with environmental sensors and cameras that gather data on microclimates, plant health, and even yield estimates," Eitan shares. The data is then sent to the cloud, allowing for remote monitoring and management. "Our systems notify you when there might be a plant health issue, as it is important to have real-time data in maintaining the health of the crops."
Through cloud-driven automation, Hippo Harvest has been able to optimize water and fertilizer usage.
Lighting for consistent yield and quality
Another technological leap at Hippo Harvest is the use of advanced lighting systems. "A key part of this whole program is lighting," Craig notes. Given the frequent fog in Northern California, Hippo Harvest needs to have lighting that compensates for the lack of natural sunlight during the day.
The team at Hippo Harvest initially installed competitor lighting systems, but the cost of installation was nearly as much as the lighting fixtures themselves. Eitan and his team decided to seek out more cost-effective solutions. They found a perfect match in the MegaDrive system from California LightWorks, which provided a flexible and affordable solution for the greenhouse.
The new LED fixtures have a central driver that eliminates the need for wiring above the canopy, cutting installation costs significantly. "This installation was probably an order of magnitude cheaper than what we did before," Eitan explained. The lights themselves are designed to provide optimal intensity across different phases of growth, with a two-channel spectrum control system that allows the team to adjust light color and intensity to match the plants' needs.
This setup has proven to be highly effective, particularly for lettuce, with customized lighting that delivers ideal conditions for growth. As Eitan put it, "We finally ended up with a mix that seems to look pretty good."
The economic impact of scaling up with robotics
According to Eitan, the goal is to reach a unit economy that is competitive with outdoor production. "At scale, we're getting pretty close," he answers.
The economics of this system hinge on several factors, including capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditures (OPEX). By reducing labor and water usage, and increasing efficiency in crop management, Hippo Harvest has been able to significantly improve its bottom line. The operation currently runs with a small team—only five people managing half an acre of production, a number that is expected to decrease as the operation scales up.
With its success in Northern California, Hippo Harvest is now eyeing expansion. The team is already supplying products to Amazon Fresh, one of its major investors, and plans are in the works to bring this innovative farming model to other regions of the U.S. As Eitan mentions, "We can find areas where there's market demand for this kind of product or these kinds of systems," giving the company the flexibility to expand and adapt as needed.
Eitan shares only a little bit about the future, "We want to do one thing right first, and then we'll scale."
For more information:
Hippo Harvest
www.hippoharvest.com
California LightWorks
californialightworks.com