Technology bringing more than just ROI to Vitacress Herbs

The company supplies major retailers with millions of pots of living herbs and packs of fresh-cut herbs each year.

As part of the Vitacress Group of companies, which includes Vitacress Salads based in the UK and Vitacress Portugal, Vitacress Herbs shares the group’s commitment to environmentally responsible practices and its ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions in all scopes by 2050. The team at Vitacress Herbs are always looking to see how they can adopt new technologies in their glasshouses to deliver quality products to their customers.

We visited their 13.5-hectare growing site in Runcton, West Sussex, to meet head of horticultural operations Jed Knaggs and find out more about what technology and innovation mean to the team and their skills. 

With a background in the glasshouse industry and protected soft fruit production, Jed brings a wealth of experience to his role. He oversees their growing operations at Runcton, managing a team of more than 40 people to ensure the basil, coriander, parsley, mint, and other herbs receive optimal conditions for growth all year round. 

 

Technology critical to the business operations

To do this, the growing team uses sophisticated climate control systems in their state-of-the-art glasshouses, which grow more than three million potted herbs at any time. These ensure all plants receive the right amount of light and nutrition and are kept at the optimal temperature, with the whole system set up to simulate the best possible conditions of the natural environment.

Jed says,“In glasshouse growing it’s crucial that we are giving the crop the exact conditions they need at all times. We have a lot of technology and sensors, both wireless and wired, to be able to digitise all of our growing systems and get all the conditions the crops are experiencing into a manageable dashboard in front of us.

“As a business, we do work with some growers who are in unprotected field environments. The difference is we’re able to predict what our crops are going through and are able to manage it.

“Without all the technology we have, growing becomes, as it is for most of agriculture, down to the mercy of the elements and a bit of luck. All our processes are very much designed to remove that.

 

Data analysis is an increasingly critical skill in growing

Jed and the team can pool all the data from the growing environment, monitoring the climate inside the glasshouses and the plants’ growth rates using their sophisticated dashboard to analyse each crop’s health and make data-led decisions.

“In all our glasshouses, the climate, temperature, humidity and light levels, as well as the irrigation, the level of nutrients and how often the crop is being given moisture, are all controlled by a sophisticated climate computer.

“The role of the growing team is to programme this climate computer to make sure the needs of the plants are always being met.”

 

More to technology than simply computers

Jed says integrated pest management (IPM) is another crucial technology for them, along with advanced computer technologies, climate control technologies, and wired and wireless sensors.

“IPM definitely falls under the technology branch. How we make decisions on that is based on delivering a quality product and dealing with whatever we must deal with, while also acknowledging that chemical spraying alone is not a sustainable management practice.”

By having the right biological solutions in place, Jed says they’re able to prevent pests from becoming a recognised issue in the glasshouse – eradicating issues before they start.

“We use a whole host of natural predators and defences,” says Jed.

“We use things like lacewing, the larvae of which will predate aphids. We use some different predatory mites, which will combat things like thrips and spider mites. And we also have some options in terms of applying biopesticides to controlling pests, if it came to it, as a much more environmentally safe solution to pest control.”

 

Deciding on the right tech to use

Jed says there are several factors that influence the decision of which technologies to adopt.

While it’s obviously important to enhance the quality of their products and improve operational efficiency, Jed says that environmental sustainability is also a key consideration for them.

“By using biotechnology, treating the crop holistically and using principles of IPM, we are trying to remove as much of the chemicals as we can. 

“In terms of our decision-making process for any innovations, we always focus on whether it’s improving quality and improving our environmental performance as well.”

This approach to environmental sustainability is mirrored in their thinking about the longevity of the tech they use. Jed and the team are keen to ensure the tools they bring in deliver against their production goals, but do so in an environmentally responsible way for the long term.

“We are always investing to be fit for the future. Making our decisions well and making them once is always the aim,” says Jed.

This approach to growing clearly requires a range of different skills across the team. 

“The people we employ are key to the success of our operations here.

“My team is made up of about 42 people, and we’ve got a great deal more in our packaging operations and our different business functions. And because farming is maybe not immediately obvious to young people as a career choice, we put a lot of effort into attracting people and making sure we are developing and nurturing them to really take up a very rewarding career.”

 

Recognising the need to develop new skills

The company’s talent development programme is designed to nurture and grow employees’ careers, helping them gain scientific skills in plant science, environmental science and entomology, as well as commercial and economic skills in other departments.

It’s clear that Vitacress Herbs is already leading the way in terms of data monitoring and analysis when it comes to operating a productive growing environment. Jed believes these data analysis skills will only become more important across all of farming and growing in the future.

“I think there is a need for more digitisation of data, and farmers need to be able to dig into their numbers, understand that agriculture itself is an extremely scientific thing. 

“There is a continued pressure put on farmers from a variety of sources, including environmental pressure. Farmers will have to acknowledge the science which enables them to do what they do by embracing the data and science-led approaches in what they’re growing.”

Jed is understandably proud of the organisation and its efforts to stand out as an employer of choice. By actively working to develop the skills and knowledge of the workforce and adopting technology to deliver quality produce in an environmentally friendly way, Vitacress Herbs is working to ensure it provides its staff with a rewarding work experience.

“For me, the most rewarding thing about this role is the end product. It’s extremely rewarding seeing something so tangible because of your hard work and when you’re walking through the supermarket, you have an immense sense of pride when you see something on the shelf which you have grown.

“Yeah, it’s amazing to think that your day-to-day work is elevating people’s meals at home with fresh flavour and bringing a bit of happiness.”

 

Commitment to innovation, sustainability, and people

Vitacress Herbs stands out in the fresh herb industry for its commitment to sustainability and innovation. The company’s use of advanced technology ensures optimal growing conditions and minimises environmental impact. 

Through a careful decision-making process, Vitacress Herbs integrates technologies that enhance product quality and operational efficiency while also working with the environment. 

And by focusing on team development, the organisation is helping ensure its employees are equipped with the skills needed to support the company’s growth and success. 

Vitacress Herbs exemplifies how technology and sustainability can go hand in hand to create a thriving business.