GrowUp Farms

What GrowUp Farms does

GrowUp Farms Limited is a UK-based vertical farming company founded in 2013 by Kate Hofman and Tom Webster. The company produces fresh, pesticide-free salad leaves year-round using controlled environment agriculture at its flagship Pepperness facility in Sandwich, Kent, supported by research and development operations at a Cambridge laboratory. It sells consumer-facing branded salad products under the Unbeleafable (premium range) and Fresh Leaf Co. (value range) brands through seven major UK supermarket chains (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op, Ocado, Iceland, SPAR), food service operators, and a direct farm shop at Macknade Food Hall.

The company's core technology combines hydroponic growing systems with Philips Horticulture LED lighting and 100% renewable energy to enable consistent indoor salad leaf production regardless of outdoor seasonal conditions. Key technical claims include 95% less water consumption than traditional field farming, no pesticide usage, and a production capacity of 1.4 million bags per week, equivalent to an estimated 2.5-3% of UK salad consumption. Product lines include Unbeleafable variants (Mixed Baby Leaves, Zesty Baby Leaves with sorrel, Baby Garlic Kale Mix, Rocket & Baby Leaves at £1.50 per bag at Tesco) and Fresh Leaf Co. (red and green baby leaf mix). The company holds B Corp certification with a B Impact Score of 104.7 and the highest BRCGS AA+ food safety rating, the first UK vertical farm to achieve this.

GrowUp Farms operates a branded physical product business model selling packaged salads at premium retail price points. Generate Capital, a US$10 billion sustainable infrastructure investor, led a £38 million follow-on funding round in July 2024 after an earlier investment that brought cumulative equity-backed funding to over £100 million. In December 2025, parent company GrowUp Group Ltd entered administration and the operating business was acquired through a pre-pack administration deal by former CEO Marcus Whately, backed by private equity firm Sun Capital Partners, retaining 83 jobs while making 30 redundancies.

Name

GrowUp Farms

Legal name

GrowUp Farms Limited

Website

https://www.growupfarms.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GrowUp Farms is a UK-based vertical farming company producing year-round, pesticide-free salad leaves using controlled environment agriculture. It sells branded Unbeleafable and Fresh Leaf Co. products through major UK supermarkets, food service operators, and direct farm retail, capturing an estimated 2.5-3% of UK salad consumption.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vertical Farming / Fresh Packaged Salads

NAICS

Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Greenhouse Vegetable Production (Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Leafy Greens) (AFAGAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Leafy Greens Farming (Lettuce, Spinach, Kale, Arugula, Chard) (AFAGADAA), Leafy Greens & Salad Processing Packhouses (Fresh-Cut) (AFAOAGAI)

Keywords

• Vertical farming
• Fresh salad leaves
• Hydroponic agriculture
• Controlled environment agriculture
• Pesticide-free produce

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Retail: Sale of branded salad leaf products through major UK supermarket chains including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op, Ocado, Iceland, and SPAR. Products sold include the Unbeleafable and Fresh Leaf Co. brands at premium price points.
2. Food Service Distribution: Supply of fresh salad leaves to food service operators and independent retailers including Macknade Food Hall

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

GrowUp Farms operates vertical farming facilities in the UK to produce pesticide-free, fresh salad leaves year-round using hydroponics and LED lighting technology. The company sells its branded salad products through two consumer-facing brands, Unbeleafable (premium range) and Fresh Leaf Co. (affordable range), distributed primarily through major UK supermarket chains including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-op, Ocado, Iceland, and SPAR, as well as through food service operators and a farm shop at Macknade Food Hall.

Product overview

GrowUp Farms operates as a vertical farming company producing fresh, pesticide-free salad leaves year-round in the UK. The company offers two main consumer-facing salad brands: Unbeleafable (premium range sold in Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Co-op featuring bold flavour combinations including zesty baby leaves with sorrel, baby garlic kale mix, and rocket & baby leaves) and Fresh Leaf Co. (affordable range sold in Iceland and SPAR featuring red + green baby leaf mix). Both brands consist of pre-packaged, ready-to-eat baby leaf salads grown in controlled indoor environments at the Pepperness facility in Kent. The products emphasize longer shelf life, no pesticides, and UK-grown provenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Unbeleafable: Award-winning salad brand featuring bold, fresh mixed baby leaves including zesty baby leaves, mixed baby leaves, baby garlic kale mix, and rocket & baby leaves varieties. Sold in Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Co-op.
• Fresh Leaf Co.
• Unbeleafable

Products and services

• Unbeleafable Salad Range Premium salad brand offering bold, flavourful mixed baby leaves in vibrant packaging. Includes Mixed Baby Leaves, Zesty Baby Leaves (with sorrel), Baby Garlic Kale Mix, and Rocket & Baby Leaves varieties. Sold in Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Co-op for health-conscious UK consumers seeking fresh, ready-to-eat salads.
• Fresh Leaf Co. Salad Range Affordable salad brand offering red + green baby leaf mix. Launched in Iceland and SPAR stores, providing an accessible entry point for vertically farmed salads with extended shelf life and no pesticides.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% less water consumption than traditional field farming
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kent Wildlife Trust / Wilder CarbonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust's Wilder Carbon initiative for carbon removal projects. The collaboration supports GrowUp Farms' sustainability credentials through verified carbon offset programs and environmental conservation efforts.
• City Harvest LondonminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023City Harvest London is a food redistribution charity that collects surplus food from growers and retailers for distribution to those in need. The partnership helps reduce food waste from the farming operation while supporting community welfare.
• Philips HorticulturecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Philips Horticulture provides LED lighting technology for GrowUp Farms' vertical farming operations. The partnership enables year-round optimized plant growth through tailored light spectrum systems. Philips LED lighting is central to the controlled environment agriculture methodology.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jones Food Company: One of the UK's largest vertical farming operators, producing herbs and leafy greens using hydroponics and LED technology for major UK retailers. Directly comparable to GrowUp Farms in technology, crop focus, customer base, and UK supermarket distribution model.
• Fischer Farms: German-headquartered vertical farm operator producing leafy greens and herbs at industrial scale using hydroponic controlled-environment technology. Comparable to GrowUp in production methodology, sustainability positioning, and supply to European supermarket chains.
• Crate to Plate: UK-based vertical farming company producing leafy greens and herbs for retail and food service customers. Directly comparable to GrowUp Farms in crop mix (salad leaves), UK market focus, and controlled-environment agriculture technology stack.
• G's Fresh: One of the UK's largest fresh produce growers, producing a wide range of salad and vegetable crops for major UK supermarkets. Comparable to GrowUp in product category (bagged salads) and UK supermarket customer base, though operating via traditional open-field and protected agriculture rather than vertical farming.
• BrightFarms: US-based indoor/greenhouse leafy greens producer supplying major US supermarket chains with locally grown salads. Comparable to GrowUp in hydroponic greenhouse production methodology, leafy greens focus, and supermarket distribution model.

Emerging players

• Shockingly Fresh: UK vertical farming startup producing leafy greens and salads using hydroponic technology, with a focus on UK retail distribution. Comparable to GrowUp in product category and UK market focus, though at an earlier commercial stage.
• LettUs Grow: UK-based vertical farming technology provider specializing in aeroponic systems and farm management software. Comparable to GrowUp in UK vertical farming focus and controlled-environment agriculture, though operating as a technology supplier rather than a salad brand owner.

Broad incumbents

• AeroFarms: US-based vertical farming pioneer producing leafy greens at large scale using aeroponics and controlled-environment technology. Comparable to GrowUp in technology category and product focus, though operating at significantly larger scale and with a broader geographic footprint.
• Plenty: US-based vertical farming company producing leafy greens using proprietary indoor farming technology, supplying major US retailers. Comparable to GrowUp in vertical farming methodology, leafy greens focus, and premium positioning with major grocery accounts.
• Bowery Farming: US-based vertical farming operator producing leafy greens, herbs, and other crops for retail and food service. Comparable to GrowUp Farms in technology category, leafy greens focus, and multi-channel retail distribution strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GrowUp_Farms
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCoA-WvFGcIBtA0HSexNU34g
• Facebookfacebook.com/GrowUpFarms
• Instagraminstagram.com/growupfarmsuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/growupfarms

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GrowUp Farms