The UK agritech industry is at a pivotal moment. At the beginning of April, Jones Food Company — Europe’s largest vertical farm upon launch— entered administration. It’s a sobering reminder of the challenges our sector continues to face: high energy costs, tricky routes to market, and the persistent pressure to prove commercial viability at scale.
At UKUAT, we’ve always believed that collaboration is the key to a stronger future. Now more than ever, we need to tap into our collective knowledge, share what’s working, and be honest about what isn’t.
It’s easy to see stories like this and feel disheartened. But they also remind us of the importance of resilience and of learning from one another. That’s why we’ve started gathering insights from some of our members and other interesting case studies across the UK, showcasing a range of approaches, innovations, and lessons learned from real-life operations.
These case studies aren’t just success stories — they’re snapshots of persistence, pivots, and practical wisdom from people navigating the same challenges we all face.
🌱 What You’ll Find:
- Diverse approaches to growing and selling in urban and peri-urban settings
- Honest reflections on what’s worked — and what hasn’t
- Insights into different funding models, business structures, and technology integrations
- Examples of collaboration making a tangible difference
We hope this is the start of a wider conversation, and we invite everyone across the industry to get involved. Whether you’re running a farm, developing or selling tech, researching systems, or supporting others in the ecosystem, your voice matters.
Now is the time to come together, not compete in silos. Let’s rebuild smarter, stronger, and more connected.
👇 Read the case studies below. If you’ve got a story to share or want to be part of the collection of case studies, please reach out. We’re here to listen, connect, and collaborate.
by Charlotte Yare
Membership and Communications Coordinator
Case Studies
Biorenewables Development Centre and Kilnsey Park
TCE Electrical
LettUs Grow, Brunel University London, University of Bristol
The role of aeroponic container farms in sustainable food systems – The environmental credentials. (Science of the Total Environment Journal)
University of Surrey
A cradle-to-customer life cycle assessment case study of UK vertical farming. (Journal of Cleaner Production)
The James Hutton Institute
Zayndu
University of Cambridge
Future-proofing controlled environment agriculture with Defra. (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) )
Integrated Research on Energy, Environment & Society (IREES)
Urban agriculture matters for sustainable
development. (Cell Supports Sustainability)
Help Improve our Industry
Send in your case studies or let us know what you’d like more studies on. Email Charlotte at coordinator@ukuat.org for more information.
📄 Disclaimer
All case studies and research papers linked in this blog are publicly available and Open Access at the time of publication. We do not host or reproduce the full content of these materials. All links direct to the original sources, and full credit is given to the respective authors, institutions, and publishers.
If you are the author or rights holder and would prefer your work not to be featured, please contact us and we will remove it promptly.
