How It Works
Here is a detailed explanation of how the Urban Farm solution works for retail.
Quick Overview
- Fully automatic in-store greenhouse unit
- Built-in lighting, watering and airflow – runs autonomously
- You receive pre-seeded organic pots – no farming knowledge needed
- Urban Farm handles maintenance, monitoring and support
- You simply sell fresh, live greens to your customers
Pilot Program – Start Risk-Free
Test the concept in your store for 3–6 months with no investment.
Pilot Duration & Included Services
- Pilot duration: 3–6 months at no cost
- Installation and configuration by Urban Farm
- Approx. 5-minute staff training
- Daily remote monitoring and support
- Regular deliveries of pre-seeded pots
- Joint evaluation of results at the end of the pilot
Goal: give you real data on sales, margins and operations before scaling up.
Products & Varieties
We offer over 40 organic microgreen and herb varieties, including:
- • Arugula, sunflower, pea shoots, radish, amaranth, mustard
- • Basil, dill, cilantro/coriander and more
Key Points
- Live plants have no fixed expiry date
- Typical growth cycle: 7–14 days, depending on variety
- Assortment is adjusted to your store format and customer profile
Your Workload
Store Personnel Responsibilities
Your staff handles only three simple tasks:
Placement
Remove pre-seeded pots from the delivery box and place them into the in-store greenhouse.
Watering
Add water to the unit approximately once per week.
Merchandising
Move pots forward as customers buy them, keeping the display full and attractive.
Total Workload
Estimated staff time: about 10–20 minutes per week per store.
What Urban Farm Covers
Urban Farm manages all other operational aspects:
- Automation of the growing environment (light, irrigation, airflow, timing)
- Preventive maintenance and technical support
- Remote monitoring of system status
- Comprehensive operating instructions for staff
- Support from a dedicated account manager
You get a full-service concept rather than another system to manage.
Pricing & Investment
Our model is built for low risk and aligned incentives.
- €0 installation – no CAPEX
- Pay per product sold – you pay only for the plants you actually sell
- Volume discounts available for multiple units or chains
This keeps your financial risk minimal while scaling the concept.
Logistics & Supply Chain
Deliveries
Export: typically 1–2 times per month
Packaging
Pre-packed in branded containers, ready for quick shelf placement
Operations
- Real-time or regular remote monitoring of system status
- Dedicated account manager
- Capacity to scale deliveries with growing demand
Space & Technical Requirements
The Urban Farm in-store greenhouse is designed to fit easily into existing store layouts:
- Footprint: roughly comparable to one standard pallet space
- Height: suitable for standard store ceiling heights, no building changes required
- Power: one standard electrical outlet is sufficient
- Water: no fixed water connection needed – the unit is refilled manually once per week
The unit is fully enclosed, low-noise and designed for use in customer-facing areas.
Example Business Impact
Typical stores use the in-store greenhouse as a high-margin add-on to their fresh category. You gain:
- Additional revenue from a new live-organic category
- Higher gross margins compared to conventional greens
- Practically zero write-offs thanks to live plants without a fixed expiry date
We can provide a simple, store-specific business case (expected sales, margin and ROI) based on your format and customer traffic before starting the pilot.
Ownership & Agreement
In the pilot phase, the in-store greenhouse typically remains the property of Urban Farm. The standard pilot agreement runs for 3–6 months, after which you can:
- Scale up to additional stores
- Extend the agreement in the same store
- Or end the pilot, in which case we remove the unit at no cost
Terms can be adapted to the needs of your chain.
Want to dive deeper into the technical details? Explore our complete specifications and technical documentation.
Technical Details→Ready to Learn More?
Ready to bring fresh, organic greens to your customers? Let's discuss how Urban Farm can transform your business.
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