Update on lawsuit around 'secret vertical farm in the Netherlands'

A vertical farm in Helmond is the subject of a legal case. The German parent company behind supermarket chain Lidl and Dutch patent holders are in dispute over control of the project and the patents. Due to the lawsuit, the vertical farm, which had been operating out of the spotlight, suddenly found itself in the public eye. Het Financieele Dagblad (€) carries an update on the case, which now appears set to be resolved behind closed doors.

Schwarz Produktion, part of the corporate group that also includes the retail giant Lidl, has drawn criticism from the Enterprise Chamber, according to the newspaper. According to the Germans, Dutch nationals Gertjan and Lianne Meeuws attempted to use 'manipulated data' to demonstrate that their invention works.

The Enterprise Chamber states that Schwarz Produktion should not have made these 'highly damaging allegations' without a thorough investigation. The suspension and dismissal of the Dutch patent holders was, according to the court, carried out carelessly, and insufficient evidence was provided to support the accusation of data manipulation.

The Dutch-German collaboration began in 2020, with the joint venture now to be dissolved. The remaining disputes will be settled through a separate, confidential arbitration process, according to the FD.