Bustanica is the world's largest vertical farm. The price of the deal is not disclosed.
Emirates Flight Catering, one of the world’s largest catering operations, has fully acquired Emirates Bustanica, formerly called Emirates Crop One, and its consumer brand, Bustanica, a vertical farm based in the outskirts of Dubai, UAE.
This strategic move establishes Emirates Bustanica as a fully UAE-owned company, helping sustain the country's vision of enhancing food and water security and its agricultural capabilities. The acquisition empowers Emirates Bustanica to leverage its local expertise and the latest tech know-how to meet the market's growing demands.
The UAE currently imports around 90 per cent of its food needs.
The UAE aims to improve its rankings in the Global Food Security Index by 2051. It also aims to develop a comprehensive national system based on enabling sustainable food production by using modern technologies and enhance local production.
✔️ Emirates Flight Catering is the catering provider for Emirates Airlines and all other airlines based at Dubai International Airport. The company employs more than 11,000 people from 70 countries.
Emirates Airlines caters for 490 flights daily, with 149 meals served every minute – totalling an enormous 215,000 meals every day. It takes 1400 chefs to make these meals, at Emirates Flight Catering Facility in Dubai, and across partner caterers around the world.
✔️ Bustanica is the world's largest vertical farm located next to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. The farm opened in July 2022 as a joint venture between Emirates Flight Catering and US-based Crop One under the name Emirates Crop One (later changed to Bustanica). The companies invested about $40 million in the project.
Bustanica’s 330,000 sqft facility can grow more than 1 million kilograms of quality leafy greens a year, equivalent to 3 tonnes daily, while using 95% less water than conventional agriculture. This is important in the arid climate of the UAE.
Bustanica offers fresh leafy greens, herbs and microgreens. The company also produces a variety of salads, spinach, parsley and kale. The brand's products are available at all major retailers in the UAE such as Spinney's, Waitrose, Carrefour and Choithrams.
Sources: Vertical Farm Daily, Gulf Business
