What Thanet Earth does

Thanet Earth is a UK private limited company that operates the country's largest glasshouse complex at a 45-hectare site in Birchington, Kent, with a seventh glasshouse (TG7, +6.5 hectares, lit tomato production) under construction towards a November 2025 completion. The company produces fresh tomatoes (~400 million annually), cucumbers (~30-33 million) and peppers (~20-24 million), and has extended into leafy salads through Thanet Earth Lettuce at Chichester. All output is sold exclusively to UK customers — primarily major supermarket chains and food-processing companies — under a stated policy of limiting food-mile carbon footprint. Thanet Earth Limited is majority-owned by the Fresca Group (one of the UK's largest fresh produce businesses) with the balance held by growing partner A&A Growers. The company reports turnover of approximately £150 million in its most recent year (up from £125m in 2022) and states it is profitable.

The production platform is built on protected-crop horticulture: hydroponic cultivation on recycled Rockwool substrate, LED supplemental lighting enabling year-round production, bumblebee pollination and beneficial-insect integrated pest management, and co-located Combined Heat and Power generators that turn each glasshouse into a power station (capacity equivalent to ~50,000 homes, with export to the local grid). The site is ~85% self-sufficient in water via rainwater collection from glasshouse runoff and condensation, and a 2,630-panel rooftop solar array (mid-2023) generates around 1 MW. Over £12 million has been committed to emissions and resource-efficiency projects, and LEAF Marque certification is held. Sales are B2B through direct supply relationships; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The leadership team is long-tenured (Technical Director since 2008, Financial Director since 2009), headed by Managing Director Chris Butler (in role since 2019), and headcount reaches up to ~900 at seasonal peaks against a 251-500 base.

Name

Thanet Earth

Legal name

Thanet Earth Limited

Website

https://thanetearth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Thanet Earth operates the UK's largest glasshouse complex in Birchington, Kent, producing roughly 400 million tomatoes, 30 million cucumbers and 24 million peppers annually. It sells exclusively to UK supermarkets and food processors via direct supply, and is majority-owned by the Fresca Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Protected Crop Horticulture

NAICS

Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Leafy Greens & Salad Processing Packhouses (Fresh-Cut) (AFAOAGAI)

Keywords

• Glasshouse horticulture
• Fresh produce supply
• Hydroponic farming
• Protected crop cultivation
• Vegetable production

Headquarters

HQ city

Birchington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Sales: Commercial sales of tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers grown in their glasshouse complex to UK supermarkets and processing companies. All produce sold to UK customers only.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thanet Earth is the UK's largest glasshouse complex, growing tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers year-round using hydroponics, LED lighting, and combined heat and power generation, and selling the entire crop directly to UK supermarkets and food processors. The company operates six glasshouses totalling 45 hectares in Birchington, Kent (expanding to 51.5 hectares with a seventh glasshouse), plus a dedicated leafy-salad operation in Chichester, all marketed under the Thanet Earth and Thanet Earth Lettuce brands.

Product overview

Thanet Earth operates as a large-scale horticultural glasshouse complex producing fresh vegetables for the UK market. The company's core product portfolio consists of three main produce lines: Tomatoes (approximately 400 million annually), Peppers (approximately 24 million annually, including specialty varieties), and Cucumbers (approximately 30 million annually). The business operates six glasshouses at its Birchington, Kent site with a total growing area of 45 hectares, with a seventh glasshouse under construction. All produce is sold exclusively to UK customers including major supermarkets. The company also expanded into leafy salad production at a facility in Chichester. Thanet Earth positions itself as Britain's largest glasshouse complex with a focus on year-round British-grown produce enabled by advanced growing technology including LED lighting, hydroponics, and combined heat and power systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thanet Earth Lettuce: Lettuce and leafy salad production operation located at Leythorne Nursery, Chichester

Products and services

• Tomatoes Premium on-the-vine tomatoes grown across three dedicated glasshouses at the Birchington site, with vines reaching up to 15 metres in length and interplanting used to grow two crops per year; approximately 400 million tomatoes are produced annually for UK supermarket supply.
• Peppers Bell peppers, long pointed specialty peppers and sweet baby peppers grown in glasshouses covering roughly 12 football pitches; approximately 24 million peppers are produced each year in a range of colours.
• Cucumbers Fresh cucumbers grown in glasshouses equivalent to 17 football pitches; approximately 30 million cucumbers are produced each year, benefiting from lit production over the winter months.
• Thanet Earth Lettuce (leafy salads) Leafy salad range grown at the wholly-owned Thanet Earth Lettuce operation at Leythorne Nursery, Chichester, extending the company's fresh-produce portfolio beyond greenhouse vegetables into bagged salads.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produces 400 million tomatoes, 33 million cucumbers, and 24 million peppers annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BOMcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025Dutch horticultural specialist BOM, a long-standing partner and member of Atrium Agri group, has been appointed as principal contractor for the TG7 glasshouse build. BOM has previously constructed three of the six existing glasshouses and has been involved in Thanet Earth's development since 2008.
• PorchlightcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The Porchlight Charity for Homeless people in Kent has been adopted as Charity of the Year since 2021, with over £30,000 raised. Their mission focuses on preventing homelessness, providing housing and support to vulnerable people, and challenging negative attitudes towards homelessness and mental ill health.
• FaresharecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Thanet Earth has partnered with Fareshare for a number of years as a Leading Food Partner. The partnership involves donations of surplus produce that would otherwise go to waste, supporting communities through food that combats environmental problems of food waste while creating positive economic and social outcomes.
• GroceryAidcoreOthersGroceryAid supports people who work or have worked in the grocery industry. The support for Thanet Earth and agency employees covers debt advice, financial grants, mental health awareness, counselling, workplace support, legal advice, and carers support.
• VegPowerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThanet Earth is an avid supporter of VegPower, associated with the 'Eat them to defeat them' TV advertising campaign encouraging children to eat more vegetables. VegPower is an alliance of businesses, government, schools, and community groups working to inspire kids to love vegetables.
• Pro ForcecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive recruitment partner for work at the Birchington glasshouses or packing factory. Contact available through their website and Facebook page for packhouse (07387 015650) and glasshouse (07834 000939) positions.
• StafflinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive recruitment partner for work at the Paddock Wood packing factory. Contact available through dedicated email addresses for recruitment inquiries.
• A&A GrowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrowing partners holding the remaining shareholding in Thanet Earth alongside Fresca Group.
• Monkton Nature ReserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity champion partner with ongoing collaboration including biodiversity seed swaps, regular produce donations to their cafe, supporting events, and sponsoring polytunnel furnishing for educational visitor areas.
• Ursuline CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership including regular produce donations, educational support, and substantial financial contribution towards fundraising targets. Collaboration driven by the school's innovative Youth SVP Committee of Year 10 students.
• Hadlow CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership through the Thanet Earth Discovery Fellowship launched in 2011. The program helps grow and assess new and exciting varieties to offer customers, with eight students graduating as Discovery Fellows. Also includes a new education centre partnership.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Village Farms International: Large-scale greenhouse operator producing tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers primarily in North America. Comparable product mix and protected-crop production model to Thanet Earth, with similar premium-supplier positioning to major retailers.
• Windset Farms: Family-owned greenhouse producer of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and lettuce across North America. Comparable to Thanet Earth in crop mix, hydroponic technology, and direct supply relationships with major supermarket chains.
• NatureSweet: Leading greenhouse-grown tomato specialist with vertically integrated protected-crop operations in Mexico and the US. Comparable to Thanet Earth in greenhouse tomato focus, premium-branded positioning, and large-scale hydroponic production.
• Flavour Fresh Salads: UK-based greenhouse salad and herb producer growing protected crops for UK supermarkets. Comparable to Thanet Earth's protected-crop model, hydroponic production, and direct-to-retailer sales motion.
• APS Produce: One of the UK's largest fresh-produce growers and packers with a significant tomato and pepper glasshouse operation supplying UK retailers. Closely comparable to Thanet Earth in crop mix, protected-crop technology, and UK supermarket channel focus.

Broad incumbents

• Huntapac Produce: UK fresh-produce grower and packer supplying major retailers with root vegetables, salads, and prepared produce. Comparable to Thanet Earth in B2B retail supply, UK-only focus, and vertically integrated growing-packing operations.
• Fresca Group: One of the UK's largest fresh produce businesses and majority owner of Thanet Earth. Operates across multiple categories (citrus, exotics, salads, prepared produce) via subsidiaries including Mack Multiples and FreshPLUS. Comparable as the parent platform and as a broader UK fresh-produce incumbent.
• Mastronardi Produce (Sunset): North America's largest greenhouse tomato, pepper, and cucumber producer with extensive glasshouse operations. Comparable to Thanet Earth in crop mix, hydroponic technology, and direct supermarket supply relationships, though at substantially larger scale.
• G's Fresh: One of the UK's largest fresh produce groups with diversified crop categories (mushrooms, salads, onions, celery) and operations across the UK and Europe. Comparable to Thanet Earth as a major UK fresh-produce supplier to retail, though broader in scope and category.
• Greenyard: Belgian-listed global market leader in fresh, frozen, and prepared fruit and vegetables serving European retailers. Comparable to Thanet Earth in supplying major supermarket chains with fresh produce, though at much larger scale and broader product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thanetearth
• Facebookfacebook.com/thanetearth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thanet-earth

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Thanet Earth