Delhaize opens first store rooftop farm in Belgium
October 19, 2017 –Delhaize Belgium is testing an innovative "urban farm" on the roof of one of its stores in the Brussels area. The farm, consisting of a garden and a greenhouse, will allow Delhaize customers to buy freshly picked vegetables that are grown exclusively on-site. The brand is the first supermarket in Belgium to grow vegetables atop one of its stores, highlighting Delhaize's long-term commitment to provide local, sustainable products while lowering CO2 emissions from less distribution.
For 2017, Delhaize is growing five kinds of lettuce – including baby leaf and watercress – with 5,200 plants by the end of the season. Next year, additional types of vegetables will be available, such as tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini.
Several Delhaize teams spent a year creating the 360-square-meter farm in collaboration with gardeners and other business partners. Located at the Boondael store in the municipality of Elsene, it will be operated by a company that specializes in vegetable gardens.
Delhaize, which plans to open rooftop farms at more stores if the test in Elsene goes well, announced the project during a ceremony on October 18 that included Céline Fremault, Brussels Minister for Environment and Energy. "Developing a healthy and high-quality nutritional pattern … is one of the challenges of the Brussels region," Minister Fremault said. "This first city farm of Delhaize is therefore an excellent initiative, which fully fits into one of Brussels' ambitions: to increase local production."
The farm will also serve as an educational program with workshops for schools and other groups beginning in 2018.
