It doesn’t get any fresher than this! Singapore Airlines is set to launch it’s “farm-to-plane” dining service after months of planning and preparation. The locally-sourced, fine-dining initiative will be part of the benefits of flying on the airline’s long-haul flight between the New York City-area Newark airport and Singapore – the world’s longest flight.
The super fresh produce will be coming from AeroFarms, a unique indoor vertical farming company based in Newark, New Jersey. The partnership will see that all appetizers in the airlines business class cabin are served using leafy greens and vegetables straight from the farm beginning in October. Eventually, all courses will be prepared with the local greens as well and it will be expanded to the premium economy cabin meals.
As if the concept of fresh “farm-to-table” airplane food isn’t enough to be impressed about, the airline also promotes the sustainability of both sourcing ingredients locally and supporting eco-efficient businesses like AeroFarms with its business.
James Boyd, Singapore’s head of US communications, said:
Normally, while catering in the winter, the greens for our flights from Newark had to be flown in from 3,000 miles away, from California, Mexico, or Florida. This allows us to instead source our greens from less than five miles away, cutting down on shipping waste.
Singapore Airlines is so pleased with the farm-to-plane initiative that it is looking to expand the practice around the world with similar sustainable urban farms nearby airports where they take-off and land from. It takes pride in being able to give a boost to growing eco-friendly businesses. The airline would like to work with more farms like AeroFarm – which is a certified B-Corp, a designation given to businesses that meet certain environmental and ethical standards.
How AeroFarms Grows Its Greens
AeroFarms is a high-tech vertical farm located in an old steel plant in Newark, New Jersey. It uses a controlled climate, LED lights, and a new type of farming called “aeroponics” to grow crops in its reclaimed urban space. It may only have a one-acre footprint but it can grow about 390 times as much output as a normal farm with the same acreage!
There’s more than one reason for the farm’s incredible output. They have their crops stacked high, up to the ceiling for one, but the real reason is its unique proprietary method of growing that is the aeroponics technology. It is a new cutting-edge growing process that uses a mist of water and air to help crops grow in an environment without soil, pesticides, sunlight, or weeds. This sort of system enables the AeroFarms to grow crops all year long, regardless of the season.
The farm grows a variety of leafy greens and vegetables – like baby kale and watercress – that will be used in dishes prepared by Singapore Airlines. Within a few short hours, the produce is collected, turned into meals, and served to customers on their way to Singapore.
How exactly do the plants grow?
- To begin with, cloth-like material is placed across trays on the growing racks.
- Seeds are placed on this cloth and, as the plant begins to grow, its roots take hold to the cloth.
- The cloth is kept moist by a mist of water, coupled with nutrients, which gets the seeds growing and keeps the plants fed and watered throughout their life cycle. The misting is computer controlled. (Temperatures are also computer-controlled.)
- LED bulbs that emit a specific light spectrum – designed to discourage pests, optimize the nutrients the plants get, and even control the flavor of the plants – are used instead of sunlight.
This futuristic set-up makes it possible for AeroFarms to grow mature, ready-to-harvest plants in a fraction of the time of a normal farm. For example, while baby leafy greens would normally take 30–45 days to reach maturity, it only takes AeroFarms plants 12–14 days. Faster growth means the farm is able to keep up with demands, supply food faster, and all by using just a fraction of the energy.
Built into the technology is a system that helps manage the growth environment, ranging from fans, controlled air pressure between different rooms, and more. There are all sorts of high-tech sensors, controls, and backups to help ensure that the plants can grow in the best conditions possible at all times. It also makes it easier to keep track of different crops and growing cycles.
Food and safety precautions are strict. Any one of the farms 150 employees as well as visitors have to remove jewelry, enter through a series of pressurized rooms and doorways, and wear hairnets, gowns, gloves, and more – all to avoid accidentally interfering with the growth, or contaminating the food-bound plants.
From Farm To Plate
Once ready for harvesting, a tray can be taken (individually) to the harvest room for picking, then to the packaging room where they are either bagged for bulk delivery to clients like Singapore Airlines, or for retail. The packaged sky-bound greens get shipped a short 4 miles away on a truck to the nearby Flying Food Group (the caterer that supplies Singapore’s Newark flight) where they are turned into the day’s dishes.
The farm sells packaged goods in local grocery stores under the brand name Dream Greens… in case you live in New York and would like to try them out!
