Major Dutch food technology company moves into Harlow Innovation Park
Business / Wed 30th Mar 2022 at 07:28am
SMARTKAS, a Dutch agriculture and food technology enterprise that designs, builds, owns and operates smart farms, has announced it will build and operate a 25,000 sq. ft. smart greenhouse within the Harlow Innovation Park, yielding 500,000kg of sustainably grown strawberries annually.
Building on its mission to eradicate global food problems and provide food security as a service, the SMARTKAS smart-farm will meet the UK’s growing demand for year-round, locally grown strawberries.
The Harlow-based facility, based within the Harlow Innovation Park, will also carry out research and development operations as well as production.
Mark Kirby, CCO of SMARTKAS, adds: “SMARTKAS is revolutionising the farming industry and eradicating global food problems by providing food security as a service and building on our belief that access to food and water should be a basic human right. Our new smart-farm facility will require locally skilled employees to support the development and success of our operation and technologies. With plans to design, build and operate a further 300,000 sqft facility in the UK before 2024, SMARTKAS is extremely excited about the current and future relationship with Harlow Council.”
Councillor Dan Swords, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, said: “On behalf of Harlow Council I want to welcome SMARTKAS to our town, and specifically the Innovation Park. The innovations in agriculture and food enterprise which underpin the company’s business model will be an excellent fit for the Innovation Park; in addition, the need for locally skilled workers to help drive the development of the business in Harlow will be of great benefit to the Harlow economy and further strengthen the town’s reputation as a research and development centre.
“Harlow is at the heart of the innovation corridor comprising London, Stansted and Cambridge, and with aspirational companies like SMARTKAS, and others that are also at the forefront of the science and technology industries set to make Harlow their home soon, it really is an exciting time for our community.”
Stefan
2022-03-30 09:07:09
I hope this brings many new jobs to the people of Harlow, not just another enormous noisy automated factory we have been seeing pop up latley.
Matthew 2
2022-03-30 10:23:00
Excellent news! the right sort of company and technology research we all need, not just Harlow.
Jamie Henderson
2022-03-30 12:16:49
Indeed Matthew 2, high skilled, well paid jobs is what is needed to improve the town. Hope there are coordinated training links with the college. We need to raise the educational and qualifications levels in Harlow to attract top companies.
AuntyB
2022-03-30 14:12:03
While this does sound like a wonderful concept, is it restricted to just growing strawberries! There are many more foods that we need for 'food security'. To me personally, strawberries are a luxury and not a necessity so i would like to hear how this will improve food security as a whole.
Nicholas Taylor
2022-03-30 17:10:13
Of course any new jobs and modern food production facilities coming to the town are very welcome. To put it in to perspective though, I understand that the commercial greenhouses that will be demolished and jobs lost to make way for new homes and roads to the west of Katherines if Epping Forest Council get their way, amounts to some 80,000 to 100,000 square METRES in which about 15,000,000 cucumbers are grown each year
jarrett
2022-03-30 18:05:25
Gmo's ?
Roger Ball
2022-03-31 09:38:18
What a fantastic initiative, always wanted to try some local home grown strawberries harvested in the genetically modified fields of Harlow. Nice....
Matthew 2
2022-03-31 11:46:23
No point in being positive in this town is there? Jesus...good news story and the moaners jump on it to take the shine off.
Mark Kirby
2022-04-26 09:33:21
Thank you for all the comments. SMARTKAS is very pleased to locate their first UK facility in Harlow and together with Your Harlow and Harlow Council, we will keep everyone informed on our updates and future plans.
Sarah
2022-07-21 09:08:03
I would like to join in to serve to the I xustry while getting employed with good reasonable remuneration. Could you please drop a reply to me if any vacancies. I'm interested in Smart climate friendly agriculture. I am an Agriculture Livestock Aquatulture fisheries and associated food industries specialist in Sri Lanka currently live in Harlow UK
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