News Release
May 22, 2017
SPREAD Co., Ltd.

Techno Farm Keihanna,Worldʼs First and Largest Automated Vertical Farmto Break GroundKyoto, Japan - May 22, 2017 - SPREAD Co., Ltd. (www.spread.co.jp/en)
announces the groundbreaking of its next-generation vertical farm,Techno Farm Keihanna in Kizugawa, Kyoto. Expected to be completed by theend of 2017, Techno Farm Keihanna will employ an automated cultivation system,
and achieve the largest output of any indoor vertical lettuce farm in the world at
30,000 heads (3 tons) daily.
SPREAD has operated its current indoor vertical farm, Kameoka Plant(Kameoka, Kyoto) since 2007, which produces 21,000 heads (2 tons) of lettuce
every day. Its lettuce is sold under the brand VegetusTM at more than 2,200
supermarkets and retail stores all over Japan. By March of 2013, SPREAD achieved
profitability, which is said to be very difficult for the indoor vertical farming business.
In 2014, SPREAD started developing its next-generation vertical farming system,
Techno FarmTM, based on its accumulated know-how with the aim of global
expansion.
Innovation at Techno FarmTM centers around three themes: reduced cost,limited environmental impact, and global adaptability. To achieve each of thesegoals, SPREAD has cooperated with Japanese equipment manufacturers to develop
innovative technologies for water recycling, environmental controls, automatedcultivation, and LED lighting. Moreover, the farm will also include specialized
research and development facilities.
Scheduled for completion at the end of 2017, Techno Farm Keihanna willbe the first of its kind, with shipping expected to start in 2018. The farmʼs daily
output of 3 tons will be shipped to supermarkets all over Japan under the VegetusTM
brand name.
SPREAD will continue to collaborate with innovative business partners froma variety of backgrounds as it works to produce ever greater technologicalinnovation and make sustainable agriculture a reality.

News Release

Conceptual image of Techno Farm KeihannaSpecification of Techno Farm Keihanna
NameTechno Farm Keihanna

Location

9-5-5, Kizugawa-dai, Kizugawa, Kyoto

Facility type

Indoor vertical farm using artificial lighting(includes R&D facilities)

Site area

11,550 ㎡

Building area

3,950 ㎡

Building structure
ProductsSteel construction, 2 floors
Leaf lettuce

Production capability

30,000 heads (3 tons) of lettuce/day

Building completion

December, 2017 (planned)

Operation/shipping

Expected from 2018

◆ Techno FarmTM

Representing the next generation of vertical farming, Techno FarmTM builds
on SPREADʼs original indoor vertical farming technology to provide a further
improved model for stable production in any climate. With its innovation centeredaround the themes of reduced cost, limited environmental impact, and global
adaptability, Techno FarmTM aims to realize sustainable farming by enabling
cultivation in locations experiencing agricultural challenges. The systemʼs original
name Vegetable FactoryTM has been changed to the more universally appealing
Techno FarmTM as part of SPREADʼs overseas business expansion.

News Release<Techno FarmTM Innovations>
Reduced environmental impact and operating costs
1. Automated cultivation
Reduces labor costs by 50%1 by automating the labor intensive cultivation
process (from seedling to harvesting)
2. Water recycling technology
Improves the recycling rate of water used for cultivation to 98% through water
filtration and recycling.
3. Environmental control technology
Restricts variance in temperature, humidity, wind velocity, and lighting intensity
4. Specialized LED lighting
Reduces the energy consumption by 30%2 by using LED lighting developed inhouse and tailored to vegetables cultivated in indoor vertical farms.
5. IoT technology
Enables centralized remote collection and analysis of big data related tocultivation and operations
1: Compared to SPREADʼs Kameoka Plant, 2: Compared to existing LED lighting<Future Prospects>
SPREAD will partner with companies and organizations both domestically andglobally to bring Techno FarmTM to numerous locations around the world.
Domestically, SPREAD will aim for a 10% share of the Japanese lettuce market byutilizing a franchise/ownership model to establish 20 facilities and a daily production
capacity of 500,000 lettuce heads (50 tons). Globally, SPREAD will cooperate withlocal companies in each country and provide technology and support for distribution
and sales. SPREAD will develop and propose business schemes applicable to eacharea.

<Contact Information>
Kiyoka Morita (Ms.) and Minako Ando (Ms.)
PR Division, SPREAD Co., Ltd.
E-mail : info@spread.co.jp
TEL: +81-75-326-3850

URL: www.spread.co.jp/en