From 3,000 kilometres to 3 metres
Six out of ten salads we eat in Sweden are imported, often after a journey of several hundred miles and through as many as fourteen intermediaries. For some other vegetables, it's even more.
Today we are entirely dependent on imported leafy greens. This is both a burden on the climate and a contributor to higher levels of chemical pesticides. At the same time, it leaves us vulnerable to disruptions in the supply chain. As Swedes increasingly want, and need, to eat more greens, we have to ask ourselves: how do we make that possible through more produce grown in Sweden and in-store? How can we increase Swedish production of greens?
Swegreen offers an in-store farming service in which we let our customers – everything from shops to restaurants and commercial kitchens – grow produce right next to where they operate. This shortens the chain from several hundred miles to just a few metres, and the growing is done entirely without pesticides. It's a technology that can make far more greenery, grown in Sweden, possible on our tables. Read our report Närodlat 3.0 below.
Närodlat 3.0
Read the full report on how in-store farming can reduce dependence on imports, cut emissions, and contribute to a more resilient food supply. The report draws on analyses of imports, climate impact, water use, pesticides, and security of supply.
Read selected articles from the report
Imports contribute to increased vulnerability in the food supply chain
Imported vegetables dominate in schools, healthcare, and elderly care
Dependence on imports leads to increased emissions.
We're eating more greens, but not from Sweden
In-store farming creates a more secure food supply
Urban farming, where production takes place close to the consumer, creates a more resource-efficient value chain. By growing and harvesting near the final destination – often within the same city or region – the need for long-distance transport is eliminated. The technology has developed further through indoor vertical farming, where crops are grown upwards in multiple layers within closed cultivation systems. Natural sunlight is replaced with LED lamps, and water and nutrients are reused in circular systems, dramatically reducing water consumption compared with conventional agriculture.
Everything takes place in a digitally controlled system where temperature, humidity, light, and carbon dioxide levels are fine-tuned to optimise crop growth and maximise yield. This controlled environment makes year-round, around-the-clock cultivation possible – entirely independent of weather, season, and geographic location. The controlled environment also allows for more harvests per year, compared with the relatively few harvests possible in open-field farming in Sweden due to the short growing season. This increases productivity and ensures a continuous supply of fresh, locally grown crops all year round.