The new smaller-sized GrowPod is built into a 20-foot-long insulated shipping container and can be customised to include well-designed features
Advanced Container Technologies, announced it is now shipping a new smaller-sized GrowPod – a specially designed, transportable controlled environment farm.
Some of the world’s largest and best-known resorts are now using controlled environment farms to provide their restaurants and patrons with premium food that not only is free from chemicals, herbicides and pathogens but also can be picked at the peak of flavour and freshness for quality that is better than organic.
The new smaller-sized GrowPod is built into a 20-foot-long insulated shipping container and can be customised to include well-designed features such as a 5-tier / 5-channel growing system with a hand sink, nursery, and prep area. The GrowPod also features a secure entry door with an air curtain, stainless steel worktops, commercial grade flooring and NSF-rated walls, and complete environmental control – accessible through a cloud-based mobile application.
Today, many Caribbean resorts import much of their produce from Miami or from local farmers. But there are limitations to this practice: The trip from Florida doesn’t fare well for food freshness, and there is only a limited supply from local farmers. On some islands, more than 90 per cent of the food consumed there is imported.
“We wound up throwing away 40 per cent of the produce, especially the more sensitive greens because of the state they arrived in,” said Robin Jance, food and beverage director of one popular resort.
To solve this problem, some resorts are investing in hydroponic farms like GrowPods.
Using a GrowPod hydroponic modular container, resorts can grow certain types of leafy greens and microgreens. Now, rather than importing these items, resorts can purchase seeds and let them germinate in the nursery for a few weeks, then transplant the seedlings into the vertical cultivation area where they mature in four to five weeks, depending on the crop.
“It’s a protected environment so the resort doesn’t have to worry about too much sun or rain or heat or insects, said Doug Heldoorn, CEO of ACTX. “And since the container is a closed-loop system, water doesn’t evaporate – unlike a typical garden or farm, which provides a significant reduction in water usage over conventional farming.”
With GrowPods, resorts can incorporate a farm-to-fork concept at their restaurants, and offer guests the cleanest, most delicious food possible.
