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Bringing farm-to-table food to campus
The Veg Bowl @ DHABA, a vegan and vegetarian café at the University of Sussex, wanted to create a dining experience that would connect staff and students with sustainable food.
Square Mile Farms installed a hydroponic Farmwall in the café, where crops including kale, pak choi and coriander are grown in view of customers and incorporated into dishes served onsite.
The challenge:
Bringing sustainable food to
life on campus
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The Veg Bowl @ DHABA was designed to make sustainability an integral part of the campus food experience. The menu focuses on plant-based, locally sourced ingredients, and staff and students can learn about sustainable food production. The café is also destination that brings people together.
The solution:
Growing ingredients where
they're sourced
Square Mile Farms installed a Farmwall inside the café, bringing food production into the dining space. Fresh crops are grown onsite and incorporated into dishes served at the Veg Bowl, creating a connection between where ingredients are grown and eaten. Customers can see crops growing while they eat.​
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​“The quality of the crops that come from the wall is unbelievably good – far superior to even the best our suppliers can offer.”
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Michael King, Executive Chef for Chartwells​
A place for sustainability education
The Farmwall also provides a real-world example of modern food-growing techniques. Students and staff can see hydroponic growing in action, while workshops delivered by Square Mile Farms have used the installation as a starting point for wider conversations around sustainable food and agriculture.​
Creating engagement and community around food
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The Farmwall has also helped create opportunities for engagement. The café has become a regular destination for students and staff, with harvest days in particular prompting conversations around sustainability and food production. That connection between growing, harvesting, cooking and eating gives people a more direct relationship with the food being served.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can indoor Farms supply produce for workplace or university catering?
Yes. At the University of Sussex, crops grown in the Farmwall are incorporated into dishes at the Veg Bowl café and have also been used for VIP conferencing events.
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What can be grown in an indoor Farm?
The University of Sussex Farmwall grows crops including kale, pak choi and coriander for use by the catering team.
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Can an indoor Farm be used for sustainability education?
Yes. The Farmwall provides a real-world example of hydroponic growing, and Square Mile Farms has run workshops supporting sustainable food education at the university.
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How does an indoor Farm support customer engagement?
Customers can see where some of their food comes from. At the Veg Bowl, harvest days have also helped spark conversations about sustainability.
Could a bespoke office Farm work in your project?
This type of installation could be relevant if you're:
A food services team looking to grow fresh ingredients onsite and create a visible connection between food production and the dishes you serve.
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A corporate occupier looking to make sustainable food and growing part of your workplace experience.
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An asset manager looking for a distinctive food or hospitality amenity that combines sustainability, engagement and community.
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A workplace design team looking to integrate productive biophilia into a café, restaurant or communal space.
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A facilities team looking for a visible sustainability initiative that can support events, education and community engagement.
Square Mile Farms works with food service teams to introduce productive growing into cafés, restaurants and other catering environments.
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From designing and installing the Farm to ongoing crop care and harvests, we can help make fresh food growing a visible and practical part of your food service.
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Talk to Square Mile Farms about growing fresh produce onsite.