News Release
October 17, 2017
SPREAD Co., Ltd.

SPREAD Initiates its Global Expansion
Techno FarmTM Planned for Constructionin the Middle East Starting with the UAE
SPREAD Co., Ltd. (HQ: Kyoto, Japan; CEO: Shinji Inada; hereinafter, “SPREAD”) will
launch its vertical farm business overseas. In partnership with Madar Farms LLC (HQ:UAE; CEO: Abdulaziz K. Almulla; hereinafter, “Madar Farms”) and Toyo Engineering
Corporation (HQ: Chiba, Japan; President and CEO: Kiyoshi Nakao; hereinafter, “TOYO”),
SPREAD plans to construct Techno Farm™ in the Middle East starting with the United
Arab Emirates (UAE).
The desert environment, lack of water resources and other geographical factors
pose challenges for growing vegetables in the Middle East which leads to a relianceon imported goods. However, a growing population and changing eating habits are
driving increased demand for vegetables.
SPREAD is responding to these challenges with the solutions found in its nextgeneration vegetable production system, Techno Farm™, which was created basedon SPREADʼs 10 years of experience in operating a vertical farm and incorporates
automation and advanced water recycling.
In October 2017, SPREAD entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with
Madar Farms, a company that has established a container farming business in theUAE, for a strategic partnership for developing the Techno Farm™ business in theMiddle East. In June 2017, SPREAD and TOYO, a global engineering company withabundant knowledge in the construction of industrial-scale facilities, entered into aMemorandum of Understanding for Techno Farm™ engineering services overseas.
The aim of the partnership is to provide a stable supply of safe and high quality
vegetables to the Middle East. Construction of the first Techno Farm™, a verticalfarm capable of producing over 30,000 lettuce heads per day, is planned to begin
in 2018 with completion slated for 2019. Moving forward, 20 facilities are planned forconstruction in the Middle East starting with the UAE.
SPREAD is striving to further innovate and deepen partnerships and cooperation invarious fields for the realization of sustainable agriculture.

News Release◆Madar Farms LLC
Starting in the UAE, Madar Farms provides solutions for challenges
concerning food and water security in the Middle East throughagricultural innovations based on advanced technology. MadarFarms was founded by CEO Abdulaziz K. Almulla and the Al Mulla
Group chairman, Najeeb A. Almulla. Both are members of theKuwait based Al Mulla Groupʼs founding family who have expanded their businessin automobiles, finance, and engineering to 8 different countries consisting of over
40 group companies.

◆Toyo Engineering Corporation
Since its founding in 1961, TOYO has implemented a wide rangeof projects on the global stage, mainly in the field of plantengineering. TOYOʼs operational area covers hydrocarbon fields,power generation, infrastructure projects and industrial plants.

◆Techno Farm™

Representing the next generation of vertical farming, Techno FarmTM builds onSPREADʼs original indoor vertical farming technology to provide a further improved
model for stable production in any climate. SPREAD has been working closely withJapanese technology companies to co-develop an automated cultivation system,
water recycling and environmental control technologies, specialized LED lighting
and IoT/AI technology with the aim of reducing both operating costs andenvironmental impact.

<Contact Information>
Minako Ando
PR Division, SPREAD Co., Ltd.
E-mail : info@spread.co.jp
TEL: +81-50-3852-0561 (Direct), +81-75-326-3850 (Main)

URL: www.spread.co.jp/en