Zurich-based start-up Umami is developing an urban agriculture system combining aquaponics and vertical indoor cultivation. In an area of around 600 m², including 200 m² dedicated to cultivation, it produces microgreens without soil or natural light, using LEDs and an aquatic ecosystem in which fish waste and other organisms feed the plants.
The facility is home to around 250 plant species and 100 animal species, without the use of pesticides or antibiotics, with biodiversity ensuring the balance of the system.
Every year, around 18 tons of microgreens are delivered to Zurich restaurants and distributed via Coop and Migros. Produced locally, they are available all year round, without seasonal constraints or long-distance transport.
After raising CHF 4.3 million [5.5 million USD] in 2024, Umami plans to build a new farm in Zurich, with a fivefold increase in production capacity and 90% less water consumption than traditional greenhouses.
Source: lematin.ch
