FARMS FOR FOOD SERVICES
Square Mile Farms helps food-service and workplace catering teams bring hyperlocal, freshly harvested produce into the spaces where food is prepared and served. We design and install hydroponic Farms, look after the crops and coordinate regular harvests, giving chefs access to herbs, salads and leafy greens grown just metres from the kitchen.
Our Farms can also become part of the wider food experience, helping catering teams engage customers with where their food comes from, sustainability and healthy eating.
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How we help food-service teams bring fresh produce closer to the kitchen
Food-service teams are increasingly looking for ways to make menus more sustainable, improve the customer experience and demonstrate where ingredients come from. An Office Farm brings food production into the building itself. Fresh herbs and leafy greens can be grown close to the catering space, harvested regularly and incorporated into dishes by the onsite catering team. As the Farm is fully managed by Square Mile Farms, chefs get access to hyperlocal produce without having to grow or maintain it themselves.
How can an Office Farm support sustainable workplace catering?
Growing produce where it is eaten shortens the journey from farm to plate and makes sustainable food production visible to customers.
Our hydroponic Farms use water-efficient growing systems and can provide regular harvests of fresh herbs and leafy greens. Produce can be incorporated into dishes, used as garnishes or become the focus of seasonal menus and food events.
The Farm also gives catering teams a tangible way to communicate their sustainability initiatives and engage people with the story behind their food.
How can an Office Farm improve the workplace food experience?
An Office Farm gives people the opportunity to see ingredients growing before they reach their plate, creating a direct connection between food production and the meals served in the workplace.
Harvests can become part of the catering calendar, while chefs can use freshly picked ingredients in dishes, demonstrations and events. This creates opportunities to talk about seasonality, nutrition and sustainable food production, turning workplace catering into a more engaging experience.
How can an Office Farm support healthy eating?
Growing fresh herbs and leafy greens in the workplace makes fresh produce a visible part of the everyday food environment. Catering teams can incorporate harvested crops into salads, garnishes and other menu items, while events such as cooking demonstrations and hands-on workshops can help people discover new ingredients and ways to use them.
Workplace farming can also align with features of the WELL Building Standard relating to Nourishment, Nature and access to nature. Read our article: Can an Office Farm Help You Achieve WELL Certification?
Office Farms make sustainability visible inside the building
Hyperlocal food production
Fresh produce can be grown metres from the kitchen where they're used.
Hydroponic growing
Crops are grown using water-efficient hydroponic
systems.
Fresh harvests
Regular harvests provide catering teams with fresh ingredients for menus and events.
Food engagement
Farms, harvests and workshops help people connect
with how their food is grown.
Who looks after a Farm?
Square Mile Farms provides a fully managed 'Farm-as-a-Service' solution, so chefs and catering teams don't need to become urban farmers.
Our team takes care of planting, crop care, maintenance and regular harvests. We work with the onsite catering team to understand how they would like to use the produce and can plan crop varieties around their requirements where appropriate.
This means catering teams get the benefits of fresh, hyperlocal produce without adding Farm maintenance to their workload.
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WHAT WE DO
Farms
Hydroponic Farmwalls, Farmstands and bespoke growing installations designed for workplaces and commercial buildings.
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Farm experience
Harvests give opportunities to interact with the Farm, learn about growing and take home fresh produce.
Farm care
Our Urban Farmers manage planting, maintenance and crop care to keep your Farm healthy and productive.
Events
Hands-on activities including workshops, food and nutrition events and team experiences built around the Farm.
Consultancy and design
We work with facilities teams and designers to identify the right Farm and location for a workplace or new development.
How other facilities teams are using Office Farms
Growing food where it’s served
Fresh produce grown onsite gives the catering team access to ingredients harvested close to the kitchen, connecting food production directly with the dishes being prepared and served.
Growing fresh produce in a university café
See how the University of Sussex's Veg Bowl Café uses produce harvested from its Farmwall in vegan and vegetarian dishes, connecting students and staff with sustainable food production.
How does an Office Farm work?
1. We get to know your catering operation
We discuss your space, menus, catering requirements and objectives – from sustainability and customer experience to healthy eating and employee engagement.
2. We design the right Farm
We identify the most suitable solution, from a Farmstand or Farmwall to a bespoke installation integrated into a catering or dining space.
3. We install it
Our team coordinates installation and works with your catering, facilities and project teams to integrate the Farm into the space.
4. We grow and maintain the crops
Square Mile Farms' Urban Farmers provide ongoing planting, maintenance and crop care, with crops selected to suit the Farm and, where possible, the requirements of the catering team.
5. We harvest the produce
Our Urban Farmers run regular harvests, with fresh herbs and leafy greens available for catering teams to use in menus, dishes and events.
Frequently asked questions about Office Farms for facilities management
What produce can be grown in an Office Farm?
Square Mile Farms grows a range of edible crops including herbs, salads and leafy greens. Crop selection depends on the Farm and growing conditions, and we can work with catering teams to understand which crops will be most useful for their menus.
Can produce from an Office Farm be used in workplace catering?
Yes. Produce grown in Square Mile Farms' Office Farms can be harvested and used by onsite catering teams in dishes, salads, garnishes and other menu items. Our Farms are already used in workplaces and catering spaces where produce is grown close to where it is served.
Does the catering team have to look after the Farm?
No. Square Mile Farms provides a fully managed Farm-as-a-Service solution. Our Urban Farmers handle planting, crop care, maintenance and regular harvests, so the Farm doesn't add another maintenance responsibility for chefs or catering teams.
How much produce does an Office Farm grow?
The amount of produce depends on the size and type of Farm, the crops being grown and the growing cycle. We can recommend a Farm solution based on the available space and how the catering team would like to use the produce.
Can an Office Farm be installed next to a café or restaurant?
Yes. Office Farms can be incorporated into catering spaces, cafés, restaurants, communal areas and other suitable locations. We offer different Farm formats as well as bespoke solutions that can be integrated into new fit-outs or existing spaces.
Can chefs choose what is grown?
We work with catering teams to understand how they would like to use their harvests and can plan suitable crop varieties around their requirements where possible. Crop selection also takes into account the Farm format, growing conditions and crop performance.
How often is produce harvested?
Harvest schedules depend on the Farm, crops and growing cycle. Square Mile Farms' Urban Farmers manage the crops and coordinate regular harvests as part of the ongoing Farm service.
Can an Office Farm be used for food events?
Yes. Harvests can be combined with cooking demonstrations, tastings and hands-on activities such as pesto-making workshops, giving people an opportunity to learn about growing, nutrition and sustainable food while using ingredients grown in their workplace.