Amazon introduces Hippo Harvest’s first leafy greens line, grown with 92% less water
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Business
Backed by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, Hippo Harvest’s growing process uses robotics and greenhouses to reduce food waste and land use.
Less than two years after investing in climate-tech startup Hippo Harvest, Amazon is selling the company’s first line of leafy green lettuces. The greens are grown using 92% less water and 55% less fertilizer than conventional produce, according to Hippo Harvest. The lettuce mixes are also farmed using machine learning and robots that operate in greenhouses close to the customer base.
The collaboration is part of Amazon’s broader commitment to address climate change by supporting new climate technology companies through its Climate Pledge Fund. The Fund invested in Hippo Harvest in 2021 to help the company scale from a small startup to a commercial-sized operation that can now provide new grocery options for consumers. Hippo Harvest also recently signed The Climate Pledge, a commitment co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism for businesses to reach net-zero carbon by 2040.
Hippo Harvest’s growing process addresses several global warming factors that traditional farming contributes to, including mass land and fertilizer use, carbon emissions from long-distance food transportation, and the release of methane gas from wasted produce thrown into landfills. These factors account for nearly 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions related to crops grown for human consumption.
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Amazon Fresh online customers in select San Francisco markets are able to purchase the Hippo Harvest spring mix, gourmet lettuce blends, and baby romaine. The greens are grown with no pesticides and packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic.
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https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-introduces-hippo-harvests-first-leafy-greens-line-grown-with-92-less-waterTaxonomy
- Hydroponics
- Greenhouse horticulture