Written by Rachel Martin
Innovative British farming company Beeswax Dyson Farming has joined the UK’s leading berry and cherry co-operative to help deliver fresh British strawberries year-round.
As part of the partnership with Berry Gardens, the firm will set up a six-hectare glasshouse at it its site in Carrington, Lincolnshire, in which it will grow premium strawberries for the UK market.
The fruit will be available from 2021 and will be sold through the co-operative to retailers.
The combination has evolved thanks to the companies’ shared goal to produce fruit in an ethical and sustainable way, using technology and research to minimise the environmental impact.
Richard Williamson, managing director of Beeswax Dyson Farming, said: “Our business exists to produce and supply high-quality food in the way tomorrow’s market will demand.
“We, therefore, believe in a responsible attitude towards the environment and in a modern, mixed and hi-tech approach to the application of technology in farming. In short, we’re doing things a little differently.
“For instance, our strawberries will be grown using heat and light generated by our anaerobic digester; the same digester also converts farm waste into an organic fertiliser that can provide optimum nutrition for the glasshouse crops.
“CO2 can also be extracted from the biogas and used in the glasshouse; and the state-of-the-art LED lighting system we will use will allow us to grow strawberries and other berries all year round, reducing the UK’s reliance on imported produce.
“Working with Berry Gardens means we’ll be able to deliver a short, fully-transparent supply chain from glasshouse-to-table and build strong relations directly with our end customers to ensure our strawberries reach consumers in top quality condition.”
Nick Allen, Berry Gardens chief executive officer, said: “This feels like a very natural fit as we’re already fully committed to innovation in farming through a unique academic research programme which focuses on minimising water use, automation and robotics.”
“Even just the idea that we can grow and supply high-quality British strawberries all-year-round, and be environmentally positive, is something for us all to be very excited about.
“I can absolutely see New Year / New You strawberry campaigns, Christmas strawberries, Valentine’s strawberries and Easter strawberries.
“When you think how people love the taste of a good strawberry, and how good they are from a health perspective, this feels like a win for literally everyone.”
The new Beeswax Dyson Farming facility is currently under construction with steelwork beginning in June 2020 and will be producing fruit by May 2021.
Alongside the glasshouse, the new facility will include a 1,500m² packing and cold store facility where the strawberries will be housed and made ready for collection and delivery, as well as office facilities.
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