Top 10 Green House Growers Revolutionizing Horticulture Sector March2022

HeavenlyRoadtotheRoots!

WhenIsay'cucumber',whatdoyousee?

Thingreenslicesputoneyelidsonalong daybroilingonabeach?Orslicesmixed upwithotherveggiesinordertoprepareasalad?

Well,ifyouthoughtonthesimilarlinesthenwe belongtothesameleague,andhereissomething interestingtoknowaboutcucumbers.

Thecucumber,nativetoIndiahasbeengrownasa foodsourceforover3000years.Butitspopularity wassowidespreadthatitdidnotfacegeographical limitationsrestrictedtoitsnativeland.

TheIndianstaplefoodhadbeenthefavoriteofthe royalty-theRomanEmperorTiberiusdemandedtoeat cucumbereveryday.Eventhoughcucumbersripened insummers,thegardenersmadesuretokeepthem movingonawheelburrowinordertofollowthesun.

Interestingly,duringthecoldmonths,thegardeners coveredthebedsusingsheetsofmicawhichisa

transparentstone.Thistransparentsheetresemblestoday's sheetglasseswhichareusedinindustrialsizebuildingsin theplantationindustry.

Theuseofthemicatechniqueissimilartothatoftoday's Greenhouse glass sheets whichallowslighttobe transmittedfromthesuntotheplantswithinthestructure thathelpstheplanttogrowproperly

Andyes!That'showGreenHouseGardeningworks.Itis notjustatoday'sconceptbutawell-practicedancient technique. Buthowever,withadvancingtechnologiesandclimate change,theprocessofgrowingcropsandvegetableshas becomeverypopularingreenhousesettings,worldwide. Combinedwiththepandemiclessonsintheglobalmarket, theindustryiswitnessingablossomlikeneverbefore.

Intoday'sworld,whenitcomestoplants,itisoften believedthatthegreenhouseisacatalyst.Ithasgivenspace tothegardenerstoexperiment,manage,andimprovise whilealsonurturingthemostwonderfulplantsinthe garden.

Withanintenttobringgreenhousegrowerstothespotlight, whoarethrivingtoprotecttheenvironmentweat Insights Success,presentyouTop10GreenHouseGrowers RevolutionizingHorticultureSector. Thefeaturedorganizationsinthemagazinearecommitted tocustomersatisfactionandsuccess,whilealsodwellingto practicinghorticulturealchemyandmindfulactivities.

Toreapthefruitsofmotivation,dodelveintotheinspiring storiesofGreenhousegrowers,also,makesuretoflip throughthearticleswrittenbyourin-houseeditorialteam andCXOstandpointsfromtheleadingindustryexpertsto haveabrieftasteofthesector.

Happyreading!

- Shrutika Khedekar

ROCKET FARMS

Advancing the Horticulture Sector Through Innovation

Nature Therapy

Health

of Gardening and Planting

High-tech Greenhouse

High-tech Greenhouses are Quickly Becoming the Future of

Featuring BriefCompanyName

BlackTulipGroup btfgroup.com

MohanChoudhery CEO

BlackTulipGroupisa“family-ownedandoperated”groupof companieswiththecoreactivityasWholesaler,Retailer,Importer, Exporter,Grower&bespokefloralDesignerofFreshCutFlowers andalsoImports,Wholesale,Retail,andmaintenanceofIndoor Plants.

ColorStarGrowers ssgca.com

Consentio consentio.co

MatthewKarlson ManagingDirector

ColorStarGrowersofColorado,Inc.(“ColorStar”orthe “Company”)isaleadinggrowerandwholesalerofflowersand nurserystockintheUnitedStates.

VincentRosso Co-founderand ManagingDirector

ConsentioisadigitalplatformforB2Bfreshproduce commerce.Fromfarmtofork;westreamlinecommunication, dataflowsandpaymentforaseamlessbuying&selling experience.

MetrolinaGreenhouses metrolinagreenhouses.com Pixofarm pixofarm.com

IvanTchakarov ChiefHorticulture Officer

MetrolinaGreenhousesisafamily-owned,wholesaleplantand servicescompanythatwasfoundedinApril1972.Itisthe largestsingle-siteheatedgreenhouseintheUnitedStatesat200 acresunderglass.

RocketFarms rocketfarms.com

SnapFulfil snapfulfil.com

FaridEdrisianand Dr.HamedBastani CEOandCTO CharlesKosmont FounderandCEO”

Pixofarmisamobileapplicationthathelpsfruitproducers optimizetheirharvestbymeasuringandforecastingfruitsize andprovidingreliabledata.

RocketFarmsisaoneofakindofagilecompanyofgrowers, entrepreneurs,andinnovatorswhocreatevalue-addedliving plantsandagriculturalservicesthatenhancehealth,happiness, andthequalityoflife.

SpeedlingInc. speedling.com

SunGroHorticulture sungro.com

StefanieRollins ChiefOperatingOfficer GregDavis PresidentandCEO MitchWeaver CEO

SnapFulfildeliversclass-leadingwarehousemanagement solutionstocustomersinarangeofindustriesincludingB2C andB2Bretail,third-partylogistics,manufacturing,foodand beverageandelectronicsandelectrical.

Speedlingismotivatedbyitscustomers’success.Itunderstands thatthevegetablesinitsgreenhousesarethesameveggiesat homeonitstable.Theorganizationtakesprideinknowingthe flowersitgrowswillbeseeninstoresacrossthecountry.

SunGroHorticultureisNorthAmerica’slargestproducerof horticultural-gradepeatandthelargestdistributorofpeatmoss andpeatandbark-basedgrowingmixes.

TunasFarm tunasfarm.id

WidyaSuryaPrayoga Co-Founder

TunasFarmisanagritechstartupanditsmainfocusisonurban farmingtocreatesustainablefoodproductioninurbanareasby leveragingidleassetsandturningthemintofoodproduction usingIoTandprecisionfarmingmethods.

Rocket Farms is extremely proud of growing beautiful flowers and nutrient-rich edible herbs in a controlled environment in the greenhouses.

TThedomesticationofplantsbyhumansisapivotal momentinthehistoryofagriculture.Insteadof relyingonnaturaldevelopment,itwasdiscovered thatplantingseedsorcuttingsallowedthedesiredplantsto bepropagated.Thesignificantdiscoveryofgreenhouse productions,hence,cameasaresultofthenecessityto safeguarddomesticatedplantsfrombioticandabiotic stressors.

Protectedagricultureoriginatedasatechniquetoshield cropsfrombadweather,allowingyear-roundproduction andtheuseofanintegratedcropproductionandpest managementapproachforbetterpestanddiseasecontrol. Improvedtransportationandwiththelightbeingoneofthe mostimportantfactorsinproduction,thegreenhousesare consideredtobethebestatmosphereforcrops.

Withthelevelofsophisticationandadvancedtechnology, greenhousesarebecomingamorecommonrealityaround theworld,dependingonthesocioeconomiccontextand localclimaticcircumstances.Lookingatthis,Rocket Farms,acertifiedMinorityBusinessEnterprise,startedto growanddistributeunique,high-qualitydesignerindoor pottedplants.BasedinHalfMoonBay,RocketFarmsisthe nation'sleadingwholesalegrowerofplottedfloral,foliage, edibles,andculinaryherbs.

ExtendingQualitySolutions

Aminority-ownedandoperatedbusiness,RocketFarmsis oneofthelargestgrowersofindoorpottedplants,fresh-cut herbs,andpottedediblesinthecountry.Constantlystriving forinnovationinitspractices,RocketFarmsisonamission tofindwaystoreducethecarbonfootprint.Withthis perspective,almostalltheirproductsaregrowninnatural sunlightgreenhouses.

Thesegreenhousesareequippedwithheatcurtainsthat worktosaveenergyandauniqueirrigationsystem,which ismadeupofastate-of-the-artfiltrationsystemthatensures thePHandsodiumlevelsarebalancedandbestforthe plants.AtRocketFarms,waterconservation,filtration,and cleanlinessarecriticaltoproducingsafe,qualityfood,and itissomethingthatthecompanyhasplacedafocusontheir plants.

NurturingHealthyIndoorPlants

RocketFarmsisextremelyproudofgrowingbeautiful flowersandnutrient-richedibleherbsinacontrolled

environmentinthegreenhouses.RocketFarmsisuniqueas itgrowsmanyedibleherbsspecificallyforindoorpurposes.

Thecompany'sherbssuchaspottedbasilarespecifically bred,designed,andgrowntoflourishinanindoor environment.Growingherbsthataredesignedtothrive indoorsreallyseparatesthecompanyfrommanyother indoororpottedplantsthatareactiveinthemarket.

Productofferings:

Herbs-Basil,Mint,Sage,Thyme,Chives,Rosemary, Cilantro,Oregano,Parsley Plants-Orchids,Roses,Poinsettias,VenusFlyTraps,Sun Star,HolidayTrees Edibles-Tomatoes,Peppers

Foliage-PeperomiaCaperataRosso,EmeraldRipple,Red Ripple,etc.

Succulents-Haworthia,Gasteria,Echeveria,Kalanchoe andCalandiva(floweringsucculents),Aloe,etc.

TheDynamicDuo

CharlesKosmont,theFounderandCEOofRocket Farms,hasspenthisentireadultlifeinthefoodand agriculturebusinessandthelast25yearsastheownerand CEOofRocketFarms.Hisdecadesofexperienceasa horticulturistspanovertheareasofplants,herbs,edible herbs,andthefoodindustryoverall.

The unique thing about ours is we capture all runoff and reuse the water from our greenhouses as well.

, ,

Charles Kosmont Founder and CEO Nick Bavaro President

At Rocket Farms, we think some of the technology we have used is unique to the industry.

, ,

NickBavaroisthePresidentofRocketFarmsandhasan extensivebackgroundandover40yearsofexperiencein owning,operating,ormanagingcompaniesinthe agriculturalsector.Thepairworktogethertoalignon initiativesandthevisionthattheyhavewhenitcomesto agriculture.BothbelievethatRocketFarmshasan opportunitytobringhealthy,nutrient-denseproductsto consumersinasafeandsustainableway

TechnologyDrivingtheWheelsofAgricultureSector

Inagriculture,technologiesandpracticeshaveimproved. Farmersseetheimportanceofusingwatermoreefficiently, andthroughoutthesectortheyhaveemployedarangeof technology-basedsolutionssuchasdripirrigationandflood tables.RocketFarmsspecificallyutilizesfloodtableswhich resultsin35%ofallwaterusedbeingabsorbedintothe plantmaterial. Thecompanythenisabletorecoverupto 65%oftheremainingwaterused,andwithcleaningand purifyingisabletostoreitforfutureuse.

Nicksaid,"By leaning into technology, we are proud to reduce our water usage and significantly increase our efficiency with this valued resource."

PeopleatRocketFarmsnotonlycaptureandreusethe waterwithinthegreenhousesbutalsorecaptureandreuse allrunoffwater.Itisrunthroughastate-of-the-artfiltration andstoragecapacitysystemandthenthroughanROsystem andpurifiedtoitspurestform.Further,itistreatedtothe stagewherethePHlevelsandsodiumlevelsarebalanced, andit'sbestfortheplant.

Charlesfurthersaid,"At Rocket Farms, we think some of the technology we have used is unique to the industry, but the unique thing about ours is we capture all runoff and reuse the water from our greenhouses as well."

BattlingwiththePandemic

Concerningthepandemiccondition,RocketFarmsmade thetoughdecisiontoreduceoverhead,preservepositions, andincreaseoperationalefficiency.Thesechangesallowed RocketFarmstocontinuetoproduceapremiumand consistentproduct.Lastly,itputforthaneasiertransition forsocialdistancingandspaceforofficestobesafelyapart. Themanagementhasinstilledamaskpolicyandevenheld vaccinationsitesatitsfacilities.

TheChangingLandscapesofAgricultureSector

Thereisnowtremendousinterestinthefieldwherefood comesfrom.Theyounggenerationisnowthinkingabout thefoodsupplyandsayingwheredoesthefoodcomefrom andhowtheycanbeapartofit,whichisexciting.

Themythofthepast–"don't take over a farm, go work in the city and go take over a technology business"isnow changingdramatically.Agricultureisatechnological business.Itisabusinessthatismovingsignificantlyandis beingtransformedbyallthesegreattechnologiesthatare outthere.Itisanexcitingtimeforpeoplecomingoutof schooltogetinvolvedwithit.

TowardsNewHorizons

CharlesandNickarededicatedtotheworkatRocket Farms.Thetwoarethefirsttosaythattheylovewhatthey doandarecommittedtohelpingthecompanycontinueto growandflourishinthefuture.TheyseeRocketFarms continuingthetrajectorythattheyhavealreadysetof providingAmericanswithgorgeousflowersandgreattastingfoodsthatareallgrownintheirgreenhouses.

Thepairbelievesthatwithconsumers,particularlyGenZ's, startingtotakemoreofavestedinterestinfoodandwhere thefoodtheyareeatingcomesfrom,RocketFarmsisatthe forefrontforthemhavingtheadvantageofbeinglocally grown,sustainable,andtransparentwithitsconsumers. Therefore,theduoispositioningthemtobeevenmore successfulinthefuturewhentheconsumerbasebecomes moreinvestedinfood,agriculture,andtheenvironment.

Top

Consentio

AttheForefrontoftheAgricultureRevolution

ArtificialIntelligenceand SupplyChainIndustry,when combined,haveprovento giveindustriesandtheirintricate processesacertainsophisticationand empowerment.ImplementingAI innovationsintheagriculture sector—althoughatanascent stage—givesusglimpsesofa promisingfuture.

Astheclichégoes,‘Necessityisthe motherofinvention’,let’schangeita bitandcall‘Necessity,themotherof innovationaswell.’Withsuchan innovativeideabornoutofnecessity andcuriosity,Consentioenteredthe globalmarketin2019.

Consentiohasstriventoaddressthe problemoffoodwastageintheworld, alongwiththecausethatleadstoit. Butwhatismoreinnovativethanthe problem,isthesolutionthatConsentio conceived,revolutionizingthe industry WiththeinclusionofAI,it enhancedthefruitsandvegetable industryalongwiththesupplychain industry.

Inthefollowingconversationwith VincentRosso,theCo-Founderand ManagingDirectorofConsentio,he uncoveredhowConsentiosolvesthe problemwithaperfectblendof traditionalmarketandmodern technology.

Pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyour company,itsUSPs,andhowitis positionedasaleadingnameinthe horticulturesector.

Consentioaddressesmultiple inefficiencieswithinthefruitsand vegetableindustry Wetransformevery commercialconversationinto structureddatasets,reducinga significantamountoftimespentdoing manualdataprocessing,timethatcan bededicatedtoimprovingcustomer relationshipsandincreasingsalesatthe sametime.

Consentiotransformsthousandsof dailye-mails,excels,pdfs,faxes, phonecalls(thatarealltoocommonin thefruitsandvegetablesector)intoa streamlinedall-in-oneorder managementplatform.

Withadirectplug-inintothe company’scoreITlegacysystem, Consentiosendsallthekeydatathere inseconds,eliminatingthepainof manualdataentry(whichishighly pronetomistakes).Inthisway,weare reducingorderingerrors,resultingina reductionoffoodlossandanincrease inprofit–adesirablecombinationfor ourcustomers.

Beinganexperiencedleader,share withusyouropiniononwhatimpact hastheadoptionofAIandmachine learningtechnologieshadonthe horticulturesectorandwhatmore couldbeexpectedinthefuture?

TheprimaryimpactthatAIand machinelearningtechnologieshave hadonthehorticulturesectoristhe reductioninresource-useinefficiencies anddiseasepreventiontomake productionmoresustainable.

Consentioislargelyimplicatedinthe impactsofthesetechnologiesbecause ofitsstrategicpositioningatevery stageofthefarm-to-forksupplychain.

AccordingtotheUN,approximately 40%ofallfruitsandvegetables producedarenevereaten,where

Consentiois largelyimplicatedin theimpactsofthese technologiesbecauseof itsstrategicpositioning ateverystageofthe farm-to-forksupply chain.

overproductionanddiseaseare importantdriversofthisinefficiency. ByapplyingAIandmachinelearning technologiestoplayerslikeConsentio, whoareadvantagedbytheirstrategic positioning,thehorticulturesector couldlimitoverproductionanddisease by:

1. Predictingconsumerdemandfor fruitsandvegetablesto

1)helpfarmersandwholesalersor retailersdraftcontractsthatare morerepresentativeoftheiroutput andconsumerdemandand

2)allocateexcessproductionoffresh producetomarketsthatarein demand.

2. Trackingwherediseasespreadsto andoriginates-fromto

1)improvetheconsumer’send-product bysupplyingthemarketwithdiseasefreeproduceand

2)helpingfarmersandgovernments takepreventivemeasurestoreduceand learnaboutdiseasespread.

TheseapplicationsofAIandmachine learningtoprecisionfarmingand diseasetrackingarealreadyinthe market,nevertheless,theycouldbe enhancedbytheuniquedatathat Consentiocollectsalongtheentire farm-to-forksupplychain.

Abouttheleader

VincentRossoistheco-founderof BlablacarSpain,acarride-sharing companythathasraised$450millionfrom investorssuchasAccel,IndexVentures andInsightPartners.Heisalsoaboard memberofONTRUCKandothers.

Thefoundingteamhasdecadesof experienceinthetechindustry,either foundingthemselvesorplayingapivotal roleinsomeofEurope’sbiggestsuccess stories.Shortlyafterinception,Consentio hiredexpertswithinthefruits&vegetable industrybridgingthatknowledgegapand bringinginateamwithcomplementary skills.

VincentRosso, Co-Founderand ManagingDirector

Exhibiting Excellence

Belowaretestimonialsfromthreeclientsthathighlight Consentio’spositioninthemarket.

Testimonial1

JorgeVasquez,thepresidentofLatinSpecialtiesLLC, awholesalerfromHouston,Texaswithannual revenuesof$25Million,highlightsthevalue-addand uniquecharacteristicsofConsentio’ssolutionforhis businessinthefollowingtestimonial:

“TraditionalERPsystemshaveaweakness,asthesales orderentrydoesnotreflectthevariableanddynamic natureofourbusinesstrading.

Wehavehundredsofcustomers,retailers, wholesalers,foodservicecompanies,allofwhom communicateandtradewithususingavarietyof channelsincludingphone,fax,SMS,email,WhatsApp, etc.

Coordinatingandconsolidatingthisdemandisagreat challenge.Oncereceived,theseordersmustbe manuallyenteredintoourERPsystemcreatinga considerableadditionalworkload.

AndthenIfoundConsentio,andIrealizedtherewasa proven,readyplatformthatdidallthatweneeded, andwouldlinkbacktotheERPsystem.So,ensuring weonlyneedtoenterdataonce. WithConsentiowesavemoney,sellmoreanddeliver improvedcustomerservice.”

Testimonial2

TheGreenery,aclientbasedin theNetherlandswithannual revenuesover$1B,claimsthat usingConsentioincreasedtheir salesrevenueby15%while improvingcollaborationwithin theirsalesteams,andfully streamliningtheirordering system.

Testimonial3

TheChiefOperatingOfficerofAlsum,aclient fromFriesland,Wisconsin,WendyDykstra, saidinaninterview:“Consentio will link directly to our Microsoft Dynamics ERP system removing the need to manually enter orders and significantly reducing our workload.”

Altogether,thesetestimonialshighlightthat Consentio’sproductisdifferentiatedfrom traditionalERPsystemsandoffersadynamic salesprocessthateliminatesthebulkofmanual dataentry,increasingsalesrevenue,enhancing customerexperience,andbenefitinginternal processes.ThispositionsConsentioasa disruptoroffreshproducetradingbybeing complementarytotraditionalERPsystems.

Consideringthecurrentpandemic, whatinitialchallengesdidyouface andhowdidyoudriveyour companytosustainoperationswhile ensuringthesafetyofyour employeesatthesametime?

Consentio’smanagementteamended theleaseofofficespacesinBarcelona whole-marketbecauseoftheforeseen durationofthelockdownand pandemic.Weinvestedresourcesinto cloudinfrastructuretohelpour companyandourclientstransition theiroperationstofullyremote.This maderemoteworkmoreproductive, givingemployeesresourcestoconnect andworkmoreefficientlywithclients, colleagues,andotherstakeholders.

Thesituationalsoreflectedan opportunityforConsentio,whichsaw an800%increaseinactiveusersanda nearly400%increaseinGMVover12 monthsbeginninginApril2020.Many buyersandsuppliersdependonthe platformtoaccessnewmarketsand haveimprovedtheirinternaloperations whilebeinghighlycompetitiveatthe sametime.

Whatwouldbeyouradviceto buddingentrepreneurswhoaspireto ventureintothehorticulturespace?

Iwouldtelltheentrepreneursthatthe horticulturesectorisripefordigital

disruption.Supportingthelivelihoods ofapproximately25%oftheworld populationandmakingupa recommended50%ofyourdietby volume,fruitsandvegetablesare essentialforeveryone’shealth. Nevertheless,farmers,wholesalers, andretailersarelimitedintermsof datacollection,animportantdriverof thesector’sinefficienciesbecause“we cannot improve what we do not measure. ”

However,thisisboundtochange,as we’veseeninotherindustriesthathave beentransformedbybigdata,suchas finance,banking,communications, entertainment,andeducation.Hence, forentrepreneursthatwanttomakean impactandplayanactiveroleinthe renaissanceofavitalyettraditional industry,nowisthetimetoact!

Howdoyouenvisionscalingyour company’soperationsandofferings in2022andbeyond?

Fortheforeseeablefuture,wewill scaleouroperationsandofferingsby achievingthefollowing:

1. Collaboratingwithtalented, creative,andpassionate individuals,whethertheyarepart ofourinternalorexternal operations.Werealizedthatthese arevitalingredientsfordisruption

andsuccess,henceitisessentialto investinindividualsthathavethese qualitiesifwewanttoparticipatein therenaissanceofthehorticulture sector

Forexample,ourteamiscomposed ofdiversebackgroundsfrom10+ differentcountriesspanningEurope, NorthandCentralAmerica.This diversitycontributestoourcreative disruption,helpingustoconnect withandunderstandstakeholdersin aglobalindustry

2. Buildingacommunityof Consentians whoshareacommon visiontobringcircularitytothe linearfoodsupplychain,thereby improvingthetraceability, transparency,andaccountabilityof allactorsfromfarm-to-fork.

Inthisway,weforeseeafresh producesectorthatisnot responsibleforaquarterof greenhousegasemissions,millions oftonsofwaterwasteandfood wastethataccountsforhalfofall foodproduced.

Consentiowillprovidethe foundationsforthiscommunityby bringingtogetherproducers, wholesalers,retailers,socialmedia influencers,andgovernmentactors tounderstandandaddresstheneeds ofallstakeholdersinthefresh produceindustry.

3. Developingaproductthat addressesthespecificneedsofthe freshproducesector.Thisis achievedbymaintaininganagile approachtosoftwaredevelopment, wherebyourmarketing,salesand engineeringteamswork dynamicallywithourusersto addresstheirspecificneedsand respondtotheindustry’sfuture challenges.

Surprising Heah Benets ofGardeningandPlanting

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. —Lao Tzu . Nowadays,individuals areinclinedtowardachievingquickresultswith littleornoeffort.Itaddsstresstotheirlives.Tofind comfortinthis,peopleusetheirdigitaldevicesexcessively, leadingtodisorientationfromfeelinglikeahuman.

“ “

Spendingsomepartofyourdailylifeinthecompanyof naturecouldhelpyourediscoverthebondofbeingonewith nature.Themodernlifestylehasbeenfast-pacedand digitallydemanding.Insuchascenario,findingtimetogo tonaturecanfeellikea"not-so-interesting"activity comparedtoscrollingonsocialmediaplatforms.

HowtoGetClosertoNature?

Ifyourlifestyledoesnotprovideyouwithoptionstobe closertotrees,farms,orparks,thenyoucouldtryexploring theoptionstobringnaturetoyou.Gardeningandplanting aresomeofthemosteffectivewaysnaturecanbeatyour serviceandviceversa.Gardeningandplantingarebeing doneintoday'smodernsociety'sapartments,flats,and bungalowsasamindfulnessactivity.Thesesmallmeasures addvaluetotheoverallpleasantnessofthehome,toyour mood,andthesurroundings.

Thereareavastnumberofbenefitsfromgardeningand plantingforyouandyourfamily'shealth.Amongthese,we havelistedthetopfivemostsurprisinghealthbenefitsthat mayinspireyoutostartgardeningandplantingrightaway

Nature Therapy

BooststheMood

Everynowandthen,peopleliketotakeabreakfromtheir dailyroutineanddosomethingelsewhichisentertaining andrelaxingthatbooststheirmood.Gardeningorplanting canhelpyouachieveallthesebenefits.Moreover, gardeningcouldprovetobetherapeuticforyou.Itisan effectivewaytoreleaseserotoninandendorphins,the hormonesthatareresponsibleformakingpeoplehappyand contentwiththeworktheyhaveperformed.

Beingclosetonature'selementswouldalwaysmakeyou feelpleased.Themood-liftingeffectofgardeningcangive youanewzealtowardsaccomplishingyourday'sgoals withafreshmindset.

LowersBloodPressureNaturally

Hypertension,orhighbloodpressure,isanescalating concernaroundtheworld.Accordingtothestatisticsofthe WorldHealthOrganization(WHO),1.28billionadultsaged between30and79yearshaveahighbloodpressure problem.Toavoidtheriskofhighbloodpressureissuesin yourlifenaturally,gardeningcouldbeexplored.It introducesyoutotheopen-airenvironmentorspace.It essentiallyimprovesyourheart'shealthbymakingyoufeel freshandbreathingouttheday'saccumulatedstressand worries.Thesenseofcompanyandcomfortthatcanbefelt aroundtheplantscanhelpyouforgetyourworries,leading tonormalizingbloodpressure.

ImprovestheQualityofDailyLife

Gardeningisengagingwork.Itdemandsintenseand concentratedeffort.Theexerciseofgardeningmayproveto bebeneficialforyouinworkingyouroverallbodyinan open-airenvironment.Itcouldmakeyoufeellikeyouhave justcomeoutofthegym.

Thehardworkofthedaycanimproveyoursleepandyour overallbonestrength,whichcanassistinmaintaininga healthyweightwithoutgoingtothegym.Inessence,it enhancesthegeneralqualityofyourdailylife.

CanImproveyourMemory

Althoughgardeningandplantingareage-oldpractices,they havenowbeenadaptedasamodernprofession,too,dueto thedemandtheyplaceonphysicalandmentalmemory. Oneneedstorememberminortomajoractivities,suchas

watering,fertilizing,eliminatingweeds,trimmingexcessive grass,andsoon,allthetime.

Whenyoutakeresponsibilityfordoingtheseactivitiesby yourself,youdevelopthehabitofrememberingallthese tasksinyourdaily,monthly,andyearlyschedules.You involuntarilyworkonyourmemorytoo,whichmayprove tobeagreatcapabilitytheolderandwiseryoubecomein theprocess.

FreshandHealthyFood

Growingvegetablesandfruitsisalaborioustask,andat first,youmayfeelonlyfarmerscandoit.Whenyougiveit atryinwhateverspaceisavailablearoundyourhouseto growyourfreshvegetables,itmaysurpriseyouhow satisfyingtheexperiencecanbe.

Youcanbeginbyplantingoneortwovegetablesinyour house'sbackyard,andwithinafewweeks,youwillbeable totastethefruitsofyourlabor.Youandyourfamilywillbe abletoenjoyadeliciousfarm-to-tableexperience.

Conclusion

Thecloseryouaretonature,themoreyouwillfeellikeyou areyourself.Itisnecessaryforeveryindividualinthis expandingdigitalage,filledwiththeurgetostayconnected totheirdevices24/7,torediscoverthefeelofnature.

Giving30-40minuteseachdaytogardeningandplanting activitiescanmakeyourealizetheessenceofbeing groundedandyetprospering,whichiswhatnaturedoesall day,allthetime.

- Vishal Golekar

Pixofarm

Farid Edrisian Co-Founder and CEO

Hamed Bastani Co-Founder and CTO

Withthehelpoftechnology,nearlyeverysector isimprovingitsproductivity.Theagriculture sectoralsohas,overtheyears,includedvarious technologiesfromplantingtoharvestingprocessesto optimizeharvest.Inhorticulture,however,therewerenot anyconcurrenttechnologysolutionstomonitorfruit growth,countfruits,measuretheoverallfruitproduce,and estimateessentialdetailslikeweatherandsoilconditions.

Whatifyoucoulddoalltheplanningandmeasurementof yourorchardwiththehelpofyoursmartphone?Wouldn'tit besuperconvenient?Thegoodnewsisthatnowithasbeen madepossiblebythedigitalandAI-basedhorticulture solutioncompany,Pixofarm Withthehelpofphotosof fruitsandtreessubmittedbyfruitgrowers,theAItoolsof theapplicationcanperformvariousanalysesonthem.

Pixofarmhelpsinoptimizingtheharvest,usingresources efficiently,andgettingthemostoutoftheorchardsby providingreliableyieldmonitoringandforecastdata. Pixofarm,whichwaslaunchedin2019,hasalreadybeenin highdemandacrosstheglobe.Ithasclientsin20-plus nations.

InaninterviewwithInsightsSuccess,theCo-foundersof Pixofarm,FaridEdrisian,CEO,andDr.HamedBastani –CTO,spokeabouthowtheirdigitalsolutionfor horticultureishelpingfruitgrowersoptimizeoperationsin orchards.

Pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyourcompany,itsUSPs, andhowitispositionedasaleadingnameinthe horticulturesector.

PixofarmisadigitalandAI-basedsolutionthatempowers fruitproducersworldwidetooptimizetheirharvest,use resourcesefficiently,andgetthemostoutoftheirorchards byprovidingreliableyieldmonitoringandforecastdata.

Theprerequisiteissmartphonephotosoffruitsaswellas fruittrees.Precisedataaboutone'sownorchardalsoserves asabasis.Basedontheorchard'slocation,Pixofarm includesweatherandsatellitedatainitscalculationsin ordertoprovideaccurateresults.Thisallowsuserstomake informeddecisionsandoptimizeprocessessuchas logistics,packaging,anddistributionwithZero-Hardware investment.

Byhavingthisinformationweeksinadvance,producers canimprovetheiryield,choosetherightmarketand negotiatebetterpricesfortheirproduction.Theadvantage

ofthetechnologyandpossibilitiesthatPixofarmbringsis bestreflectedinthefactthatwehavecustomersin20+ countriesacrosstheworld.

Wehavewonseveralinternationalawardslikethe InterpomaStartupAwardin2020,theGlobalStartup AwardsforBestNewcomer2020inCEEaswellasthe BestPracticalSolutionfortheAgrifoodSectorin2020at theStartupEuropeSmartAgrifoodSummit.

Asoftoday,Pixofarmcanbeusedonapples,pears,and citrusvarieties.Therearemanyalreadyexistingsolutions forextensiveagricultureandfarming,butnotthatmuchfor horticulture.ThisisthegapPixofarmisfilling.

Beingexperiencedleaders,sharewithusyouropinion onwhatimpacthastheadoptionofAIandmachine learningtechnologieshadonthehorticulturesectorand whatmorecouldbeexpectedinthefuture?

AIandmachinelearningsupportfruitgrowersintheir decision-makingprocess.Experienceandexpertisearetwo veryimportantelementsinagriculture.Fruitgrowersneed toknowtheirorchardsinordertoreactproperlytothe needsoftheircropsandsoil.

Inaddition,climatechangeandmoredemandingmarket requirementsmakeitmoredifficulttoleanonexperiences fromthepastandhavingoptimizedprocessesandfruit qualitybecomescrucialtobesuccessfulinthemarket.

Inthiscontext,precisionagriculturetoolslikePixofarm helpusnotonlyinkeepinganeyeoneachaspectofa

The advantage of the technology and possibilities that Pixofarm brings is best relected in the fact that we have customers in 20+ countries across the world.

farm'smanagementandpotentialoutcomesbutalsoin improvingtheagronomicimpactoffarmersontheircrops, betteridentifyingeachcrucialrequirement.

Consideringthecurrentpandemic,whatinitial challengesdidyouface,andhowdidyoudriveyour companytosustainoperationswhileensuringthesafety ofyouremployeesatthesametime?

Asourserviceisadigitalsolutionthatdoesnotrequire humancontact,weweresparedtheconstraintsofthe pandemicinthissense.However,therewereother challengesthatcameourway.

Sincefruitgrowingisbasedonalotofexperienceandindepthknowledge,buildingtrustwithcustomersisvery

important.Beforethepandemic,thesecustomermeetings wereoftenheldinperson.Asthatwasnolongerpossible, otherdoorshaveopened.

Inadditiontodigitalmeetings,wenowhaveamonthly webinarwherewepresentthelatesttrendsinhorticulture andoursolutions.Nevertheless,weareverymuchlooking forwardtobeingabletodevotemoretimetodirectpersonal contactattradefairsandmeetingsagain.

Besidestheimpactonourdailybusiness,therewerealso changesinthewayweworkasateam.SincePixofarmwas stillveryyoungwhenthepandemicfirsthit,wewereable toadaptfasttotherapidchangesthatoccurred.The employeescanworkremotelywhenthesituationdemands itorwhentheyfeelmorecomfortableduringthis challengingperiod.

Additionally,newapproachesandchannelstodigital communicationhavebeenfoundtoensureeffectivedigital communicationandtokeeptheteamspirithigh.Through ouragileandflexiblewayofworking,wehaveimproved manyaspectsoftheworkoverthelasttwoyearsandwill continuetodosointhefuture.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothehorticulturespace?

Thinkoutoftheboxwithyourideasandtalktogrowers personallytogetabetterperspectiveontheactual challengestheyfaceonaday-to-daybasis.Youhavetobe market-driveninordertosurviveandshouldfocusona customer-centricstrategy

Howdoyouenvisionscalingyourcompany'soperations andofferingsin2022andbeyond?

Ourgoalistoeventuallybetheworld's#1fruityield estimationtool.Wewanttobecomeanenablingplatform andexpandourofferingsacrossthefruitproductionvalue chain.Forexample,wearenowlaunchingapost-harvest solutiontomeasurefruitsinharvestbinsthroughthesole useofaphone.

Wearealsocontinuouslyworkingonexpandingyourfruit portfolio.Inadditiontoapple,pears,andcitrus,otherfruits areplannedfor2022.Andofcourse,wewanttoexpandto manymorecountries.Asa100%digitalsolution,any growercanjustdownloadtheappandstartgettingthe benefits.

ThePrimeMovers

Theideawasbornin2019whenPixofarmCo-FoundersFaridEdrisianandHamed BastanirecognizedtheneedfordigitalizationinHorticulture,whichmovedthemto laythefoundationforthedevelopmentofasmartsolutionforfruitgrowing.

ElaboratingonhowtheycameupwiththeideaofPixofarm,Mr.FaridEdrisiansaid that"Speciically,webecameawareofthegreatimportanceofharvestmonitoringin thevaluechainoffruitproduction.Werealizedthatthisprocessiscurrentlymainly manual,andalternativesolutionsareeithernotpreciseenoughorveryexpensive. Duringtheresearch,ourmissionquicklybecameclear:wewanttoenablefruit growersaroundtheworldtooptimizetheirharvestresults,workresourceeficientlyandgetthemostoutoftheirfarmland."

"ThedevelopmentofthePixofarmappprogressedrapidly.Thecompanywas foundedin2019inVienna/Austria,andalreadyintheirstyear,numerouspilot customerswereacquiredallaroundtheglobe.Additionally,workingdirectlywith fruitproducersandassociationshashelpedusalot.Wegetvaluableinsightsfrom themandbeneitfromdecadesofexperience,whichallowsustotailorourproduct totheirindividualneeds.Weareveryhappythatfruitgrowersaroundtheworldare readyforinnovationontheirfarmsandhopetoaccompanymanymoreofthemon theirjourney,"Dr.HamedBastaniadded.

S

peedlingSpeedlingIncorporated

Providing High-Quality Transplants Since 1968

Top 10 GreenHouse Growers Revolutionizing Horticulture Sector

Agoodfoodgrowerknowsthatahealthyseedwill sproutahealthyseedling.Andahealthyseedling willgrowintothehealthiesttree,withutmostcare andthemostpropernourishment.Growingahealthytree, whichwillproducefoodinabundance,isaslowprocess butthebestfoodgrowersintheworldknowatechnique thatwillspeeduptheprocesswhilealsoenhancingthe qualityoftheseedlingandtheultimateplant.Init,the invertedpyramidcellplanterflatsareusedtogrowthe world'shealthiesttransplants.

AndthatisexactlywhatSpeedlingIncorporatedisdoing attheireightfood-growingnurseriesacrossAmerica.The Speedlingcelldesignallowsfortheproductionof consistentlyhigh-qualitytransplantsthatcouldbemassproducedforseededvegetables,ornamentals,and propagatedvegetativeproducts.

InaninterviewtoInsightsSuccess,foritslatesteditionof Top 10 GreenHouse Growers Revolutionizing Horticulture Sector,thecompany'sPresidentandCEO,GregDavis, said,"In the inverted pyramid technology, the shape of the trays reduces production costs for farmers, by improving survivability and speed to harvest."

Headded,"The open bottom design allows for air pruning of the taproot, creating strong secondary roots. The overall structure of the roots permits greater capacity to forage for nutrients and easy extractions, with limited damage during transfer."

Theinterview(givenalongwithJenniferBozicevich,West CoastDivisionManager,andBrandonPalmer,National SalesandLogisticsManager)indetailisproducedbelow

PleasebriefouraudienceaboutSpeedlingInc.,itsUSPs, andhowitispositionedasaleadingnameinthe horticulturesector.

Feeding the world and making it a more beautiful place since 1968,Speedlinghelpslocalfarmersgrowtheworld's foodandflowers.Primarilyayoungplantproducer, Speedlinginventedtheyoungplantindustryandhelping growersstart Speedling Strong remainsourpurpose.With locationsinFL,GA,TX,andCA,Speedlingisanational leaderinthelargestplantmarketsintheworld.

Speedlingmeasuresitssuccessbythesuccessofits customers.Wearefarmersservingfarmers,turningseed andcuttingsintostrongyoungplantsreadyfortheirnext home,bethatasouthFloridaWatermelonfield,aCentral

ValleyCaliforniaTomatofield,astate-of-the-artGeranium greenhouse,oryourlocalindependentgardencenter We partnerwiththelargestgrowersintheworldandthe smallestinyourcommunity,nomatteryoursize;we measureoursuccessbyyours.

Beinganexperiencedleader,sharewithusyouropinion onwhatimpacthastheadoptionofAIandmachine learningtechnologieshadonthehorticulturesectorand whatmorecouldbeexpectedinthefuture?

Growingbillionsofyoungplantsforover50years, Speedlinghasdevelopedrecipesandtechniquestoproduce almosteveryplantthe Good Lord created.Likepeople,a plantismostvulnerableinitsyoungest'seedling'state,and ourjobistonurtureyourplantsduringtheriskiesttimeof itslifewhenthemarginoferrorissmallest.

Todothiswell,wemustutilizeeverypossibletoolandall availableinformation.Atthisstage,anticipation,and foresightarecritical,andwhileacomputercan'treplacethe passionofaperson,itcantrackmassiveamountsofdata withoutforgettingthesmallestdetail.

Wetrackeveryinputandeachoutcome,andwiththisdata bank,wecontinuallydialinourprocessestoreducerisk, increasequality,andmanagecosts.Withaliving,evolving product,weknow,ourprocessesmustremainlivingand evolving,anddatahelpsusanticipatethepossibilityof differentoutcomesunderdifferentconditions.

Byconvertingdataintoinformation,wegenerate knowledgethathelpsuscontinuallyimprovetheprobability ofthedesiredoutcome.Plantsaren'twidgets,theycan'tbe madebyamachine,butmachinescancertainlyhelpour peoplemakebetterplants.

Primarily a young plant producer, Speedling invented the young plant industry.

foreveryplantto beanexactcopyofthe onebeforeandafterit,weutilize multipletechnologies;however,theonlywaytonavigate real-worldvariableswithnewdiseasesandoldchallengesis withaprofessionalteamofpeoplewhoabsolutelydon't acceptfailure.

Thebestplantsdemandthebestpeople,andtheSpeedling teamisthebestintheworld.Weunderstandthechallenge, we'vemadetheinvestments,andwearecommittedto continuousresearchmethodsandmaterialstoprovidebetter solutionstotomorrow'sneeds.

Consideringthecurrentpandemic,whatinitial challengesdidyouface,andhowdidyoudrive SpeedlingInc.tosustainoperationswhileensuringthe safetyofyouremployeesatthesametime?

Evenwithamixoffifty-year-oldprovenprocessesand cutting-edgetechnology,itisthepeoplethatmake Speedlinggreat,sokeepingourteamsafeisparamount. Safetyandsecurityworkintandem,itisimpossibleto avoidallrisksandremainsecure,soourapproachwasand istoreducetotalrisk.Thatmeansweighingoptionsand makingthebestpossiblechoices;afterconsiderable research,wedecidedthatshuttingdownwasworsethan COVID-19.

Ourteams,ateachfarm,dailymakethedecisionsanddo theworkthatourcustomersdependon.So,stayinghome meantshuttingdown,whichmeantdeadplants,which wouldthreatenthelivelihoodofourcustomersandour families,andthatwassimplynotacceptable.

did.

Wedidreducein-personmeetings,weworemasksinside, andwehadazero-tolerancepolicyforcomingtoworksick. Despiteallthepublicfearmongering,Iwasveryproudthat ourteamsdidn'tpanic;theymadethebestdecisionforthe teamandforourcommunities.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetobuddingentrepreneurs whoaspiretoventureintothehorticulturespace?

Allbusinessisbasic,people,process,andproductwitha goodmeasureofsales,logistics,andpurpose.Horticulture issimply great people producing essential products.

Horticulture is simply great people producing essential products.

Greg-Davis CEO-President Greg-Davis CEO-President

Jennifer Bozicevich West Coast Division Manager

Jennifer Bozicevich, Coast Division Manager

'MotherNature'andalivingproductkeepitinteresting.Our teamisequallyartist,scientist,andefficiencyfanatics supportedbyfinanceandHR,so,nomatteryourspecific strength,almostcertainly,youcanapplyitinhorticulture.

HowdoyouenvisionscalingSpeedling'soperationsand offeringsin2022andbeyond?

Speedlinghasbeenaroundalongtime.Westartedsmall; wegrewbig.Formanyyears,wefocusedonsemi-loads andhavelongavoidedretail.However,theshutdownshave shownustheimportanceofdeliveringindividualplantsto individuals.Whileweremainwholesalegrowers,wehave beenremindedofthejoyofnewgardenersgrowingafew plantsforfun.

Weknowbetterthantotrytobeeverythingtoeveryone, andweknowthatwecanaccomplishanythingwiththe rightpartnerswhohavecomplementarystrengths.Brandon foundustwoup-and-cominginternetmarketingcompanies, onefocusedon Vegetables andoneon Ornamentals.These twoorganizationshavegrownfarmorequicklybecauseof COVID-19,andinonlytwoyears,bothhavebecome significantnewpartnerships.

Atthesametime,wesawthesupply/demandimbalancein foliageand,thistime,partneredwithmoreestablished companieswhoweregreatatmarketingtoboxstoresto quicklybecomeasignificantsupplierofqualityfoliage.

WeareexcitedbyB2Candfoliageandareexpandingthe productionoftheselinesintoTexasandCaliforniain2022. TheSpeedlingteamwillcontinuetomixnationalstrategies withlocalstrengths,tomeettheneedsofourdiverse customerbaseandovercomeeverychallenge.

TheThoughtfulTrio

GregDavishasledSpeedlingasPresidentandCEOsince 2008.LikeSpeedling,hewasbornonaFloridafarmand hasspenthiscareerhelpingfarmersthroughouttheUS. Hestartedinvegetableseedsales,laterinproductionand brokerageofbonsaiandfoliage.

HisfocusatSpeedlinghasbeenondrivingwhatwas historicallyacottageindustrytobemoreprofessionaland predictable,implementingmultipleimprovementsutilizing cutting-edgetechnology.Hisjoycomesfromseeinggood peoplebecomegreat,astheyaccomplishmorethanthey realizetheywerecapableof.

JenniferBozicevichhasspent25yearsingreenhouseand nurseryproduction,leadingteamsatmultipleCANurseries toimplementthelatesttechnology.LikeSpeedling,she recognizesthevalueofbuildingthebestproductionmodel thenusingthosetoolsacrossallproductlines.

Shehasspentmanyyearsinallthemajorsectorsofthe industry(vegetabletransplants,ornamentalplugs, vegetativelines,finishedfloralforfreshmarket,etc.)

Jenniferhasbeenabletodevelopbusinessincross-over productlinessuchasOrganicHerbBowls.Eachsectorhas itsownstrengths;thebeautyofSpeedlingisitsabilityto bringallthesepracticestobearforfieldgrowers,for greenhousegrowers,andevenforbigboxstores.

BrandonPalmerstartedatSpeedlingdispatching deliveries,hiscan-doattitudeandfocusonprogress, althoughanyobstaclehasledtohiscurrentposition overseeingallsalesandcustomerservice.Brandon managessuchawiderangeofproductsandcustomersby stayingrootedintheknowledgethatthetoolsand techniquesareonlyasgoodastheteammakingithappen.

Hehasdevelopedplantloversfromoutsidetheindustry intoexcellentsalesandcustomerserviceteammatesby keepingtheirfocusonthecustomers.Hehasdriven Speedling'sforayintoB2Bandfoliagebyprovingthat excellentquality,service,andlogisticsmakehappy customersregardlessofthesizeofthecrop.

How High-tech are Quickly Becoming the Future of Greenhouse Agriculture

Thepopulationoftheworldisrisingexponentially UnitedNationsreportshaveestimatedittobe above9.5billionby2050.Fulfillingthebasicfood needsofthislargepopulationisthetoppriorityfornations. Itisthegreatestnecessitythatneedstobefocusedonto maintainglobalharmony

Tomeettheever-risingfooddemand,naturally,thequality andquantityofagriculturalproductionneedtobeimproved onavastscaleworldwide.Continuingwithtraditional farmingmethods,wherewedependonlimitednatural resourcesandweatherconditions,couldmakeitdifficultto achievethescaleofagriculturalproduction.

Issuessuchasglobalwarming,waterscarcity,limitedland availability,andpoor-qualityproducearealreadygaining groundintheagriculturesector,leadingtopriceinflationin theconsumermarkets.Iftheseissuesarenotdealtwithin time,thenitmightleadtoglobalunrest.

High-TechGreenhouseFarmingistheSolution

Thesolutiontotheaboveproblemishigh-techgreenhouse farming.Greenhousetechnologyprovidesideal environmentalconditionsforplantsorcrops,alongwith automationoptions.Itcansubstantiallyincreasethe agriculturalproductionrateandquality.

Thetechnology-backedgreenhousefarmingmethodcan createacontrolledenvironmenttogrowthecrops. Numeroustechniquesinmodern-daygreenhousefarming

haveprovedtheireffectivenessincultivatinghigh-yield cropsinanartificialenvironment.

Manyadvancedtechnologiesarebeingintroducedinto greenhousefarmingtomaximizeproductionwiththeuseof limitedresources.Applyingremotefarmingtechnology,the greenhousefarmscouldbemonitoredfromthousandsof milesaway,fromtheplantingstagetoharvest.Inaddition, technologyallowsfortheintelligentandtimelyuseofthe availableresources.

Thefollowingarethebenefitsofhigh-techgreenhouse farmingthatareeffectivelytransformingtoday's agriculture:

SmartUseofLimitedLand

Duetorapidurbanization,thelandareaavailablefor agricultureisgettingsmallerandsmallereveryday.

Smartlyutilizingtheavailablelandiscrucialfortoday's farming.Greenhousefarmingcanbeappliedtotake advantageofthelimitedlandandgainmaximumoutcomes. Greenhousefarmingallowsfarmerstouselandinthemost intelligentways.Eventhoughthelandislimited,youcan getthemostoutofitbyusingvarioustried-and-tested fertilizersandtechnologies.

EffectiveWaterUtilization

Theopen-airagricultureirrigationmethodisahighlylabor intensiveandvagueprocessthatcancausesuboptimal

High-tech Greenhouse

yieldsorplantdisease.Wateravailabilityisoneofthe crucialfactorsinraisingproductionqualityandquantity. Thetraditionalagriculturalirrigationmethodcausesalotof wastageofwater

Thegreenhouseenvironmentenablesfarmerstouse availablewaterinintelligentways.UsingA.I.irrigation techniques,youcanautomatetheirrigationprocess.AnA.I. applicationcanbeappliedtomeasurethewaterpresentin thesoil.Itcandetectsmall-scaledeviationsinsoilmoisture andcorrecttheminstantly

ActivePestandDiseaseControl

Openagriculturalfieldsaresusceptibletovariouspestand plantdiseaseattacks.Itcancauselotsofdamagetothe crop.Thoughvariouspesticidescanbeusedforprevention, bythetimethepreventionmeasurestarts,significant damagemightalreadyhavebeendone.

Usingvariousmethods,youcancontroltheatmosphere withinthegreenhouse,whichallowsyoutokeepthepest fromattackingthecropataveryearlystage.Employing technologytomonitorandanalyzethecropcanalertyou quicklyifthereisadangerofpestdamage,andaccording totechnologyinput,preventivestepscanbetakentokeep themaway

ProtectionAgainstExtremeWeatherConditions

Duetoglobalwarming,weatherconditionstoday everywhereintheworldareunpredictable.Extreme temperatures,excessiverainfall,orwindcancauselossesin thetraditionalagriculturefield,butinthegreenhouse,using temperaturecontroltechnology,theidealatmospheric conditionsforthedesiredcropproductioncanbeachieved.

ProducingHighYield

Usingtoday'sadvancedagriculturetechnologies,youcan cultivateahundredacres'worthofcropswithinafewacres ofgreenhousefarming.Whencomparedtotraditional agriculturalmethods,itsignificantlyfacilitatestherecovery ofyourinvestmentcostswhilealsoearningyoumulti-fold profits.

NutritionallyRichCropProduction

Theworldneedsmorenutritiousfoodthaneverbefore.The cropproducedinagreenhouse-maintainedenvironmentcan producehighlynutritiousgrains.Thecustomizedsupplyof

fertilizersandnaturalandartificiallightcanconcentrate nutrientsforeveryplant,resultinginnutritionallyrichcrop production.

LocallyProducedFreshFood

Thegreenhousemethodcanbeappliedeverywhere globally,throughwhichthedesiredcropcanbeproduced regardlessofthelocalweatherconditions.Itisasignificant waytomeetthelocaldemandforfreshproduce,especially vegetablesandfruits.

Conclusion

Bycombiningtechnologywithmodernagricultureina greenhousefarmingenvironment,ahighyieldoffresh harvestcanbeachieved.Thegreenhouseisalreadyproving tobeameaningfulsolutiontothedemandsofthepresent andfuturepopulations.Farmerswhoaretechnologically enabledcanbetterusetheirlandstoincreaseprofitswhile alsomeetingnutritionalfoodrequirementslocallyand globally

- Vishal Golekar

Managing change to Smoothen Technology Transition

By Stefanie Rollins: Chief Operating Ofcer

Stefanie Rollins COO

massiveshifttodigitalsolutionsisnowwell

Aunderwayinsupplychainandlogistics.But,as morecompaniesmakethemovefrommanualto automatedprocesses,doweriskleavingouremployees behind?

Bossesneedtopreparetheirstaffaccordinglytoembrace newtechnologyasanopportunity,ratherthanperceiveitas athreat.Ittakesbothclearcommunicationanda willingnesstolearn–andespeciallyaroundthecultural shifttoslick,best-of-breedWMSfromanonerousand manualpaper-basedsystem.

AtSnapFulfil,we'vesupportedmanyclientsinthejourney awayfrompaper-basedwarehousemanagement.

Implementingtheoperationalimprovementsisoftenthe moststraightforwardelementofthetransitiontoaWMS, butbringingpeoplealongwithyouismorenuanced.

Warehouseoperativeswillbeusedtoacertainwayof workingandwillneedtotrulyunderstandthebenefitof changeandfeelfullysupportedthroughoutthejourney

Stafffedupwithmanualtaskscanquicklygetexcitedabout thetimeandlabour-savingefficienciesofdigital,butthen fearfulabouttheassociatedtrainingandlearningofnew skills.Butthisisapatternthatispresentineveryaspectof life.Peopleneedtimetoprocessthings,internalisematters andcometoacceptthem.

Oneofourclientssummedupthechallengeperfectly, suggestingthatintroducingawarehouseoperativetoatier 1WMSwithoutthepropersupportis:"like putting people used to driving a Ford Fiesta into an F1 car and expecting them to figure it out!"Soitpaystoplanaheadandcreate internalcommsandstrategiestowintheheartsandminds ofmanagersandoperatorswhoclingtotheoldand established(buthighlyinefficient)waysandresistchange.

Anychangemanagementplanworthitssaltmustidentify andcommunicatetheobviousbenefitsinameaningfulway, soforme,thefollowingfiveestablishedfundamentalsgoa longwaytowardachievingbuy-infromyouremployees:

Formalisewhat'sabouttohappen–Startbydevelopinga listofactionsyouhavetotakebeforeimplementingthe WMS,includingallthedigitaladvancements,new dashboardsandothersystematicproceduresyou'llneedto learn.

Talktoyourteamsandallofthem-CustomerService, Warehouse,Finance,IT,etc.Theywillallhavetheirown

ideaswheretheexistingproblemsare–areyouremployees empoweredtobeconfidenttoraisetheirhandifsomething isn'tworking?

Thendefinethechangeitselfforalllevelsofstafftobuilda clearpictureofthetrainingandpre-emptivesupport requiredtogeteveryoneonthesamepage.

Determinewhattomeasureandhow-stateyourgoals clearlyandalsobreakthemdownrelativetochange management.Howquicklydoyouwantteamstostartusing thenewsystem?Whatmeasurementsarerequiredafteryou implementaphaseoftheproject?Howcanyouascertainif someoneisusingthesoftwarecorrectly?

Narrowingeachbiggoalintoasmallmeasurablepiecefor eachpositionhelpsyouensurethatyou'vethoughtabout theWMSholisticallyandarereadyfortheknock-oneffects itmayhave.Forexample,moreefficientworkersmean inventoryandaccuracybothimprove,withlesstime requiredtofixmiss-picksandaddressperformanceissues, creatingmoreopportunitiestoexplorefurthercost-saving improvements.

Abouttheauthor

Stefanie Rollins is COO for WMS technology innovator, SnapFulfil, and has a remit for North America, as well as UK & Europe. She has held that posion since January 2019, having previously been VP/Head of Support Services.

Her passions are mentoring, coaching, plus problemsolving and Stefanie is currently moulding the future of Operaons for SnapFulfil and its clients - focusing on connuous improvement for all. In her 20+ years at SnapFulfil, Stefanie has also headed up the company's Support Services, Quality Assurance and Customer Success teams, with extra responsibility for developing the Implementaons offering in keeping with a leading supply chain execuon soluons specialist. Stefanie has addionally aained Level 5 in the ILM Award for Leadership and Management.

Prioritisehelpandsupport-thisisabigoneforme. Someofyourteammayneverhaveusedacomputerbefore, sothetaskcouldbedauntingforthem.Theywillstillhave experiencethough-makesuretheyknowthatisjustas important.Bringyourteamalongthejourneywithyou; theywillhavevalidconcernsandquestionsalongtheway, soprovidingafeedbacktoolisessential.You'llalsoneedto communicatethatfeedbacktoeveryoneinvolved.For example,considersettingupaseriesofonline informationalsessions,orlunchandlearns–tobuildan openlineofcommunicationbetweenmanagementandyour pick,packandshipteams.

Considertheskillsthatyourcurrentemployeeshave–theymightnotbewhereyouexpect. Forexample,gamers areamongstsomeofthebrightestwarehousestaffIknow, theytendtohaveanaturalaptitudeforproblem-solving, testing,thinkingoutsideoftheboxandhavingtheabilityto concentrateonmanythingsforlongperiodsoftime.Also thinkaboutgenerationaldifferencesaseachonehas somethinguniquetoaddtotheprocess,whetheritbe consideredthinking,experience,confidence,multi-tasking, extendedfocustime.Thereisagoodchanceeachoneof theseskillscanhelpyoubringtogetherthewholeyouneed tomakeyourWMSchangeeasier.

Promotetrainingandprofessionaldevelopment–help employeesdevelopnewskillsetstomanagethesemore advancedWMSsolutions.Providingtrainingsessionsisa greatwaytoshowyou'reinvestinginpeopleaswellas technologyandwillhelpincreaseemployeesatisfactionand performance,aswellaspreparingthemfortheirnewroles. Inshort,makeiteasyforyourstafftoaskforhelpand you'vegotthebestchanceofgettingaheadofany implementationandadoptionissues.Thisalongwithproper planning,communicationandinvestmentwillhelpspeed yourwarehouseoperations–andyouremployees–intothis here-to-stayandrewardingageofdigitalfulfilment.

Whattheclientsays

Thisviewisechoedbyaleadingglobaldistributiongroup providingcustomisedsolutionstoB2Bcustomersacross 30+countries.Theyneededamoresystematicandtime/cost-effectiveWMSapproachforthebusiness-and quicklyfoundSnapFulfilprovidesvisibilityofinformation, easeofintegrationanduser-friendliness,plustriedand testedprocessesthatfacilitatestructuredchange.

TheirOperationsDirectorsaid:"There'salwaysresistance toanytransitionandinmyexperience,afeelingof'teach andpreach'andI'llforget,butinvolvemeandI'lllearn–so

beforegoliveitwasessentialtofamiliariseandacclimatise ourstaff.

WithSnapFulfil'shelp,wecreatedamini-warehouse scenario(5,000sq.ft)withgoods-in,putaway,despatch, locationandreplenishmentelements,sothatalloperatives wereabletopracticeandrepeatbasedonrealordersrather thananyclassroomapproach.

Culturallyitwasveryimportant,becausewith15yearson averageinthejob,therewascertainlyfear,trepidationand the'ifitisn'tbrokedon'tfixit'attitude.Butitwas ineffectiveandveryadminheavy,sowealsoactionedthree separatesessionsperworkertocross-trainandmulti-skill themandprovideextraresiliencetotheworkforce.

"Itworkedverywellandthebuy-inwascompletebecause theyallfeltpartofthejourneyandintandemwith SnapFulfil'sapproachtothepartnershipitbredacultureof continuousimprovement.We'renowdevelopinga productivitytrackerforuseinotherpartsofthecompany andpreparingtorolloutthecloud-basedsoftwaresolution acrossothersites.”

So,digitaltransformationisclearlynotjustanITdecision anditpaystoinvolveandconsultyourstaffeverystepof theway.Dealinginreal-timedataisalsoaboutfacts,rather thantribalknowledge,andaproperlyutilisedWMSbrings discipline,consistencyanduniformprocessestoyour business.

Onlythenwillyouknowwherethetruecostslieandthe bestimprovementleverstopush.

The Future Farm Facilitating

Affordable Premium Vegetables

Urbanagriculturehasbeen provedinresearchand practiceoverthelast20years tohelpmitigatetheconsequencesof climatechangewhilealsoincreasing theurbanqualityoflife.

Citiesareonceagainbecomingareas forgrowingfoodsincepeople nowadaysprefertoliveingreenand sustainablecitycentersthatcan providefresh,locallyproducedfood. It'sanewworldandthisnewworld demandsmodernfarmingsolutions. EntertheIndonesia-basedagritech start-up–TunasFarm.

Withagoaltourbanizefarmingto createsustainablefoodproductionin cities,TunasFarmleveragesidleassets andturnsthemintofoodproduction usingIoTandprecisionfarming methods.Thecompanybelievesthat citiesshouldbeabletoproducetheir ownfoodduetopopulationproblems, urbanization,andotheraspectssuchas climatechangeandnaturaldisasters thatcanaffectthefoodsupply

Withsuchamagnificentvision,Tunas Farmisonamissiontochange farmingasweknowit.We,atInsights Successmagazine,arehonoredto presentyouwithaninterviewthatwe conductedwiththeCEOofTunas Farm-WidyaSuryaPrayoga.

Widyasharedwithusthejourneyof thisambitiousventureandhowthe leadershipteam—whichincludes RudwikyOktaPutra(CTO), JeremiaMichael(CCO),andTopaz Kumoro(COO)—plantoscalethe agritechbusinessinIndonesiaandthe world.

Below is an excerpt of that interview:

Pleasebriefouraudienceaboutyour company,itsUSPs,andhowitis positionedasaleadingnameinthe horticulturesector.

TunasFarmisanurban-focused agritechstartupwithourtagline "your local future farm" meaningwearethe solutionfornotonlyfoodbutalso healthyandhygienicfoodstraight fromourfarmstoconsumers' doorsteps.

Ourmissionfocusesonthreemain issues,namelyProductionCost, Quality,andSellingPrice.In Indonesia,mostofthelow-priced vegetablesareofpoorquality(grade 4),usesoil,andsustainheavydamage. Othervegetablesentailhydroponic vegetables(class1),buttheirpriceis high.Theproblematlargeisthatboth typesofvegetablesdependonthe weather.Bothmethodsare unsustainableandunpredictable.

That'swherewecomein.Withlow productioncosts,premiumquality,and affordableprices,weaimatproviding affordable premium vegetables

TunasFarmisthefirstindoorvertical farminIndonesiaandwehavea missiontopresentourindoorfacilities inallcitiesinIndonesiaandhavea positiveimpactonthesustainabilityof agricultureinIndonesia.

Notonlythat,butwealsoposition ourselvesasapartnerforuniversities totrainstudentstogetdirectly involvedintherealworkenvironment inmodernagriculture,becausewe wereverydifficulttofindindoor farmingexpertswhenwefirststarted TunasFarm.Withthisstep,wehopeto becomealeaderinthemodern agriculturalindustryinIndonesia.

Pleasetellourreadersaboutyourself andtheleadershipteamatTunas Farm.Alsoenlightenusaboutyour professionaljourneys,andhowthey havecontributedtowardsthe company'ssuccess.

I,WidyaSuryaPrayoga(CEO), startedmycareerwithanadvertising agencyasanITprofessional,andin 2019,metRudwikyOktaPutra (CTO)whodevelopedatooltoobtain datainthefieldforland-use

agriculture.Rudwikyspecializesin Human-ComputerInteractionand softwareengineering.Heisvery proficientinIoTandautomation.In late2019,wediscoveredanewmethod offarmingcalledtheIndoorVertical FarmingintheUSA(AeroFarm).

So,wedecidedtobuildourprototype housekitwiththesamemethodsand devices(sensors,automation)wegot thefirstbuyerforthathousekit.Long storyshort,thereareVCswhoare interestedinourideaandhelpusbuild TunasFarm.NowwehaveanotherCofounder,JeremiaMichaelasour CCO,anexperiencedfounderaswell asahustlerinourteamwhowillassist usinbusinessdevelopmentand commercialaspects.

In2021,wemanagedtobuildtwo otherfacilitiesinMalangcityand Pontianakcitywiththesameconcept andeachfacilitycanproducearound 2 210kg/m areaamonthwithonly100m facilities.

Wehopethatourfacilitieswillhavean impactonthecommunitytobring solutionsforsustainableagriculture. Fornow,withourrespectiveexpertise, wefeelthatwearecompleteenoughas asmallteamreadytoopenthemarket andstartanewleap.Ofcourse,asour companygrows,wewillalwayslook forthebesttalentsinIndonesiato jointlydevelopintermsofsciencefor plantingplantsanddevelopingthe businessitself.

Beinganexperiencedleader,share withusyouropiniononwhatimpact hastheadoptionofAIandmachine learningtechnologieshadonthe horticulturesectorandwhatmore couldbeexpectedinthefuture?

Inmyopinion,AIandMachine Learningcanhelpprocessthedatathat hasbeencollectedandthenturnitinto

With low production costs, premium quality, and affordable prices, we aim at providing affordable premium vegetables.

Top 10 Greenhouse Growers Revolutionizing Horticulture Sector

knowledge,sothatweasindustry players,especiallyinagriculture,can usethattomakepracticalandstrategic decisionsinourdailybusiness.They candodemandforecasting,weather forecasting(ifplantingintheopen),or thedatacanincreaseproductivityand qualityofagriculturalproductssuchas AIwhichisusedforirrigationsystems.

Thesystemcanstudyasetofdatathat istestedonaplantwithavarietyof certainvariablessothatitcanproduce goodoutputinprovidingnutritionto plantsoratcertaintimesofwatering andcanevenadjustthespecifications andharvestscheduleofaplant.

Inthefuture,agriculturemayhaveto jointheBlockchainorcrypto ecosystemwhereagriculturebecomes areliableusecaseandalsoavery promisingunderlying.However,itall needstostartfromthecurrentyears, preparingdatafromupstreamto downstream,supply-chain,andalso downstreamlevelfordistribution.So, whenthetimecomes,agriculturewill becomeaverysexyessentialindustry

Consideringthecurrentpandemic, whatinitialchallengesdidyouface andhowdidyoudriveyour companytosustainoperationswhile ensuringthesafetyofyour employeesatthesametime?

BackinJuly2020,wewererunning ourcompanyinthemidstofthe pandemic,finishedourfirstfacility, andstartsellingtheproductsinearly 2021.Consumers'behaviorshave changedinthisperiod.Theyprefer buyingonlineviaawebsite, eCommerce,andWhatsApp.

Duringthepandemic,wefoundonline buyingpreferencesriseincreasing, especiallyinride-hailingserviceslike GrabandGojek.Wedopartnerships withGrabandGojek,becometheir

merchantintheMartplatformtograb thatmoment,andalongsidewestill havein-housecourierstodropbuyers' ordersdirectly

Asweusetheautomationsystemto monitor,theheadgrowerscanwork remotelyfromhome,non-essential workersinproductionalsoworkfrom home.So,weonlyuseamaximumof twoworkersinourfacilityandwe checktheirhealthregularly Theirjob istomonitortheseedlingandharvest cycleandservetheordersfor customers.

Whatwouldbeyouradvicetothe buddingentrepreneurswhoaspireto ventureintothehorticulturespace?

Myadviceforentrepreneursin agricultureistofindthepainpointin yourareaandtackleitwithtechnology tohavescalability,soyourbusiness modelcaneasilybeabletoreplicate. Perhapstheproblemineverycountry isdifferent,butthere'salwaysagap. Researchthemarket,findtheproblems becausethere'sanopportunitybehind it.

Likeforus,inIndonesia,thepainpoint isattheupstreamlevel.Thus,we createsustainablefarmingbecauseour numberoffarmersisdecreasingyear byyearduetourbanization.This impactonfarmlanddecreasesaround 120.000haperyearbecausethere'sno nextgenerationtocontinuefarming activityanymore.

Farmerisstilloneofthelowest-paid laborersinIndonesia.So,withthat data,wetrytosolvefoodsecurityon anupstreamlevelwithtechnology At thedownstreamlevels,Indonesiahas greatplayerslikeSayurBox,Tanihub, Astronauts,etc,sowehelpthemgrow tosolvethesupply-chainproblem.We helpthemsecurethesupplywith sustainablefarming.

Howdoyouenvisionscalingyour company'soperationsandofferings in2022andbeyond?

Wearetargetingtoestablish30 facilitiesinthenext3yearsinvarious citiesthroughoutIndonesiatoserve andbalancethedemandforvegetables andsoftfruits.Ontheotherhand,we willalsopartnerasmuchaspossible withcompaniesinthefieldoffresh supply-chainandlogisticstoreach morecustomerswhoneedfreshand healthyvegetables.

Ofcourse,wecannotstandalonewith ourstrength.Wealsoinviteinvestors whoareinterestedintheSDGprogram todevelopindooragriculturein Indonesiaandgrowtogethertobecome partofthemodernagricultural ecosysteminIndonesia.

Giveusafewtestimonialsofyour clients/customersthataccurately highlightyourorganization's positioninthemarket.

Ourcustomers,especiallytheF&B industry,areverysatisfiedwiththe solutionsweprovidetothem, especiallyontheissueofvegetable supplyconsistencyandquality.In mattersofpricing,wemaynotbethe cheapest,butweprovideaddedvalue andguaranteetoconsumersfromour serviceleveltobeabletosupporttheir businessesgrowth.Fordirect customerssuchashouseholds,our productsareconsideredtohave advantagesbecauseourvegetables haveveryfewleavesthatarewasted duetodamageandpests,suchasthose experiencedbyopenfarmingor greenhouses.Socustomersfeel benefitedbecausethereisalmostno waste.