CONAD & ZERO Innovate with ‘SAPORI & IDEE’ Vertical Farm Salad
Conad continues its 2023–2025 development plan, investing around 2 billion euros in strengthening its network, digitalization, and innovation. Today, they announced an exciting addition to their own-brand products: the launch of the innovative Sapori&Idee Vertical Farm Salad line.
Vertical farming, a soil-less cultivation technique, enables plants to grow in controlled and protected environments, using resources like soil and water more efficiently.
This method allows for selecting top-quality varieties and maintaining control over the entire product lifecycle. Cultivating in sterile environments without external contamination reduces the need for pesticides and keeps the produce safe from pollution and heavy metals. These traits result in ready-to-eat products that require no additional washing or treatment, ensuring increased freshness, crunchiness, and an extended shelf life.
Conad’s partner in this product innovation is ZERO, a company specializing in vertical farming technology applied in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors. Their production plants in Capriolo (Brescia) and Figline Valdarno (Florence) operate in regenerated industrial spaces powered by renewable energy.
“Innovation, across channels, services, and products, stands as one of Conad’s strategic directions. Today, we introduce a Conad Sapori&Idee product line in select stores, offering customers a unique experience both in taste and production,” says Francesco Avanzini, Conad’s Chief Operating Officer. “This launch aims to create additional value in the ‘IV Range,’ targeting premium offerings with an innovative, quality product that minimizes soil and water usage compared to traditional products. This aligns with our MDD development guidelines and our sustainability strategy, ‘Sustain the Future.'”
“Our partnership with Conad allows us to bring our commitment to innovative, high-quality, healthy, and flavorful agriculture closer to millions of families,” emphasizes Daniele Modesto, CEO and co-founder of ZERO. “By choosing Conad Sapori&Idee salads from vertical farming, Conad customers will have the chance to experience a new’made in Italy’ excellence.”
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