Worldwide Local Salads (WWLS), a UK-based vertical farming company, is set to transform the agricultural landscape with a series of innovative strategies designed to reduce production costs and enhance profitability.
Co-founder Grahame Dunling emphasises the company’s approach: “We have patents for lowering the cost of growing. Given we cannot increase the cost of our goods, we need to lower and save expenses where we can to improve the bottom line. After all, if our competitors produce for £0.80p and we produce for £0.75p, we can sell at the same price and make a better bottom line margin.”
After three years of rigorous testing, Grahame and his brother Matthew, the co-founders of WWLS, believe they have cracked the code for efficient, high-quality crop production. The firm is now poised to expand WWLS through a phased approach, with plans to reach an impressive full production capacity of 20,000 tonnes of crops annually. Their state-of-the-art site, designed to be entirely self-sufficient, includes plans for a vertical farm, making it one of their most ambitious and advanced projects to date.
“Our whole background is in salads; we should do it here and grow for quality and texture,” Grahame asserts, contrasting their expertise with that of newer entrants to the market. “Unlike the so-called ‘new growers’ of today, they make the same mistakes over and over again. From growing many plants per m², thinking this gives more yield, to quoting open field yield against several crops grown indoors yearly.”
Revolutionary Sterile Growing Environment
One of the major challenges in traditional farming is the risk of crop contamination. Grahame highlights the dangers posed by soil and peat, which can harbour harmful bacteria and pests, threatening both crop quality and consumer safety. WWLS’s solution is a fully automated grow system that ensures plants are cultivated in a sterile environment, drastically reducing the risk of contamination and guaranteeing a consistently healthy and safe product.
“Automation is another critical factor in ensuring consistency and quality in salad production,” says Grahame. “Our automation technology streamlines every stage of the process, from seeding to packing. By minimising human intervention, the risk of error and contamination is significantly decreased, resulting in higher quality produce.”
Innovative Renewable Energy Solutions
WWLS’s vertical farm is also setting new standards in energy efficiency with a host of cutting-edge, renewable energy features. Among these is a patent-pending wind turbine designed to fit on any greenhouse fan, allowing the company to generate its own energy. Additionally, WWLS has developed a Wind Capture unit that utilises horizontal wind flow within the warehouse or greenhouse to produce energy—another patent-pending innovation that sets them apart from the competition.
“Besides our LED lighting system that helps us save 50% in capital and 35% in OpEx, we have a Syphon design for our mobile gutter system which we use to control 100% of the plant irrigation, ensuring all plants receive an equal amount of feed and water,” Grahame explains. The farm’s computer-controlled systems mean that operations can be managed remotely from anywhere in the country or even the world, significantly lowering the risk of operational disruptions.
A Legacy of Sustainable Farming
The Dunling family has a rich history of over 200 years in producing high-quality crops globally. This extensive experience is the foundation of WWLS’s success, combining traditional growing methods with modern technology to prioritise taste, texture, and longevity in their produce.
“Sustainability is at the core of our operations,” Grahame notes. WWLS’s facility features multiple on-site generation capabilities to minimise its carbon footprint and reduce reliance on external energy sources. The use of hot water storage tanks further enhances the farm’s sustainability, allowing excess heat generated during the day to be stored and used at night.
In a strategic partnership with Viemose DGS, a supplier of Moving Gutter Systems with over 35 years of industry experience, WWLS is ensuring that it remains at the forefront of technological advancements in farming. This collaboration guarantees that consumers will receive the highest quality produce, grown with cutting-edge techniques and an unwavering commitment to sustainability.
WWLS’s innovative approach to vertical farming promises not only to revolutionise the industry but also to set a new benchmark for cost-effective, high-quality, and sustainable agricultural production.
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