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Sustainable basil and coriander on the shelves at Bio-Planet
19
February
2021
As of 19 February 2021, the Bio-Planet shops and web shop will not only offer home grown basil from our vertical farm, but coriander under private label Boni Selection as well. The vertical farming technique requires less water, less space and fewer nutrients than classic farming. These sustainable herbs not only have a tiny ecological footprint, but their taste is surprisingly fresh and vigorous.
Sustainable and home-grown
After having tested it for two years, Bio-Planet launched the first basil plants from our self-developed 'vertical farm' in March 2020. As from 19 February, we are adding coriander. Vertical farming is a technique with which the plants are grown in rows above one another. Colruyt Group is the first retailer in Belgium to develop such a vertical farm at its distribution centre in Halle.
The innovative technique has a tiny ecological footprint: for the same number of plants, up to 20 times less space is needed than in traditional cultivation, as well as 50% fewer nutrients and 90% less water. The herbs are also 100 % pure (as no pesticides are used) and due to the central location of the farm, 5 times fewer kilometres are driven than before. Moreover, the use of purified rainwater, the economical LED lighting and the innovative ventilation system make the farm very energy-efficient. The installation runs on 100% green electricity generated by wind turbines and solar panels.
Perfect for the Bio-Planet customer
"All these aspects make the farm as well as the coriander and basil plants sustainable, and that was the decisive factor for Bio-Planet," says Jan Van Holsbeke, Bio-Planet manager. "After all, we want to offer our customers products that are sustainable, local and innovative. We believe that vertical farming could be the answer to our customers’ rising expectations in terms of responsible consumption."
A tasty, high-quality product
The high-tech installation has room for 250,000 plants. The herbs are grown naturally and their quality stays the same all year long, regardless of weather conditions. The fresh and strong flavour of the herbs was determined by Bio-Planet customers during tasting tests. Bio-Planet has also worked on recyclable packaging. The basil and coriander plants are for sale exclusively in Bio-Planet shops and the web shop, under private label Boni Selection.
With this initiative, we contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
