“At Microgreens it’s always day”
Alex Pichardt and his team from Microgrenes in Middelfart belong to a new generation of entrepreneurs whose heart knocks for the environment. It is about the difference that they can make to the profit, because as the young entrepreneur and chef says: “If we really start making money, we lower the price – this must first benefit the environment – we are a movement! “
09/10/2019, Simon Maegaard
How important is light to your business?
“Light is the key part of our business. The light ensures that we can create a fantastic taste experience all year round. We can take advantage of summer and we can take advantage of winter on an equal footing and in the same way because of the light we use. ”
Who is Microgreens Denmark?
“Microgreens Denmark is a special form of indoor plant breeding. We have chosen to create a yard and emulate the factors that apply outdoors in a closed and controlled indoor environment. It is also about optimizing the space, as we can work at height with several vertical beds, which allow for a little more greenery. ”
How Much Does Microgreens Think of Light for Everyday?
“In Microgreens, we think about light all the time. The LED is what makes the system sustainable. In addition, the other factors that form part of a circular ecosystem that starts at the ground in which we grow the finished seeds are for delivery and collection of the product at the customer. We have chosen not to drive more than 50 km from our cultivation stations, we must use 100% recyclable plastic trays, and we have fixed agreements with customers that they deliver the trays after use, so that we avoid packaging waste. The product we produce is fresh throughout, so there is in principle no material that will die for our customers. ”
Can LED light replace the sun?
“We have built systems that are designed to last for a very long time, but are also designed to give us the right spectrum of light, so that the plants get the same as they would naturally get outside, but just within a much more condensed timeframe. This means that we can save a lot on electricity and water, among other things, by avoiding surface water, thereby not losing anything to the air environment or the sun’s rays, but getting all the water and nutrition into the product. So all the energy we invest in the sustainable taste experience we make sure to add directly to the product. ”
What can we expect from the Light Dinner?
“For the light dinner we will bring our own container (” Growtainer “), which we will stand and grow throughout the week up to the Light Festival, we will grow for the Streetfood market and for the light dinner at the Design School on December 5 at 18 : 30, where we, in collaboration with Mette, will extract the most amazing crops. The ideology is about people being able to see where things come from and how much light plays into the refinement of our product, so it retains taste and consistency and surprises guests in terms of what they are used to. ”
Facts
• Microgreens started in January 2019 and had its first sale in early April.
• Today, Microgreens delivers 118 trays to 32 customers. It has been found that the product sells itself as the restaurateurs call each other and recommend the product internally.
• Alex Pichardt uses Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to be a micro-gardener or “farmer”, as he calls himself. The rest of the week goes to study for the chef.
• Alex Pichardt was born into the restaurant industry and it was precisely with this upbringing that he faced a problem with the suppliers’ products, which often had too many flaws, which ultimately meant a massive waste.
• With LED lighting it became possible to operate in a new and sustainable way.
• Alex Pichardt has a saying: “At Microgreens it’s always day”. Microgreens use a split light, which the plants are fed 24/7 for 4-16 days per day. tray. The light is reminiscent of the light of the sun when it is highest in the sky.
• Microgreens started in January 2019 and had its first sale in early April.
• Today, Microgreens delivers 118 trays to 32 customers. It has been found that the product sells itself as the restaurateurs call each other and recommend the product internally.
• Alex Pichardt uses Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to be a micro-gardener or “farmer”, as he calls himself. The rest of the week goes to study for the chef.
• Alex Pichardt was born into the restaurant industry and it was precisely with this upbringing that he faced a problem with the suppliers’ products, which often had too many flaws, which ultimately meant a massive waste.
• With LED lighting it became possible to operate in a new and sustainable way.
• Alex Pichardt has a saying: “At Microgreens it’s always day”. Microgreens use a split light, which the plants are fed 24/7 for 4-16 days per day. tray. The light is reminiscent of the light of the sun when it is highest in the sky.
