Skip to main content
17th April 2023

Greene King sets sights high on using more sustainable fresh British produce thanks to vertical farming

Greene King, the country’s leading pub company and brewer, will be serving more sustainable, home-grown food thanks to a new partnership with a neighbouring supplier who specialises in vertical farming.

Fischer Farms, who established their first farm in Burton-on-Trent, uses the innovative vertical farming method to grow high-quality leafy greens and herbs. Thanks to the ground-breaking technology, crops can be grown all-year round in undercover racked trays which are stacked in tall layers. The bio-secure farm has a small land footprint, compared to traditional farming, and is fuelled by sustainable energy.

With controlled light, temperature and irrigation, it simulates the best growing conditions resulting in high-quality crops.

Greene King has committed to a 50% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (direct and indirect) by 2030 through Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) and a net zero target of 2040. This month fresh, vertically farmed basil will be introduced to menus in 1,600 Greene King managed pubs and this new supply will mean there is no need to import the herb from abroad, saving on air freight and food miles.

Assad Malic, Greene King’s chief communications and sustainability officer, said: “This is an exciting step on our journey to become a sustainable business and we are very pleased to be working with Fischer Farms. By using vertically farmed crops, we can offer our customers a UK supply of high-quality and fresh produce throughout year. We are starting with vertically farmed basil now and hope to add chives and further herbs and leafy greens such as lamb’s lettuce and watercress later this year.”

Further benefits of vertical farming are it is not affected by changes in the weather, it is disease free so there is little waste and there is no use of pesticides.

Tristan Fischer, Founder and CEO of Fischer Farms, said: “We are incredibly excited about our partnership with Greene King and see this as a great opportunity to make a positive change to the supply chain.

As we prepare to open the doors of the world’s largest vertical farm in Norfolk, we are ready to support the food services industry meet consumer demand for responsibly sourced produce.”

Andy Pembroke, Managing Director of Fresh Direct, Greene King’s fruit and vegetable supplier, added: “With a shared vision of adopting a sustainable food supply chain, we are delighted that we can play our part in supporting Greene King with its exciting new venture. Fresh Direct is firmly focused on helping to build a sustainable, British farming industry, so it’s great to work with Greene King and Fischer Farms on this climate-friendly way of supplying some fantastic British produce.”

ENDS

About Greene King:

Greene King is the country’s leading pub company and brewer with c.2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland.

At Greene King we are passionate about delivering our purpose to ‘pour happiness into lives’. That’s for our customers, our team, our pub partners, our suppliers and the communities in which we live, operate and serve. Founded in 1799 with offices in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk and Burton on Trent in Staffordshire we employ around 39,000 people across the group with four divisions: Greene King pubs, Destination Brands, Partnership and Ventures, and Brewing & Brands.

  • Greene King pubs are located where people and communities come together; pubs enjoyed in cities, towns and villages throughout the country
  • Destination Brands is a mixture of food and drink-led brands including Hungry Horse, Farmhouse Inns, Chef & Brewer, Wacky Warehouse, and Pub & Carvery, Pub & Dining and Pub & Grill
  • Partnerships & Ventures which includes our tenanted and leased pubs and Hive Franchise pubs under Pub Partners and our Ventures Brands which is made up of Metropolitan Pub Company, Hickory’s, Hotels Group and Crafted Pubs
  • Brewing & Brands covers the brewing sides of the business. Quality ales are brewed at the Westgate brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. Our industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best with a range of additional premium beers and seasonal ales

About Fischer Farms

Fischer Farms is an independent company combining agri-tech and renewable energy expertise to revolutionise the future of farming. Backed by Gresham House plc, an asset management company specialising in investments with a sustainable, positive impact, Fischer Farms is leading the way in scalable food production to provide a more resilient and sustainable method to feed the nation.


Contact: Greene King Press Office, PressOffice@greeneking.co.uk