A Rhondda Cynon Taf based vertical farm has more than doubled their production capacity thanks to technical support delivered through the Welsh Government funded Project HELIX.
Micro Acres Wales, which produces an award-winning range of microgreens, edible flowers, and mushrooms, was established during lockdown in 2021 by husband-and-wife team Chris and Donna Graves. Initially started as a hobby, Micro Acres Wales soon became a means for Chris to follow an alternative career path following the diagnosis of ‘ataxia’, a health condition which affects his co-ordination, balance and speech.
In 2024, Chris and Donna were given the opportunity to expand their business by moving production from their domestic garage to a dedicated unit located in a former mine explosives storage facility. Micro Acres Wales approached ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University for funded technical support with the move, delivered through the Welsh Government funded Project HELIX.
ZERO2FIVE supported Micro Acres Wales to update their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety management plan to make it suitable for growing microgreens in their new unit. The company was also mentored on the layout of their new vertical farm to optimise their production process flow and avoid microbial contamination between seeds and harvested microgreens.
Following the support from ZERO2FIVE through Project HELIX funding, Micro Acres Wales secured a food hygiene rating of five from Environmental Health for their new vertical farm. As a result of the move, the company has grown their output of microgreens by 50% with the potential to more than double it. The extra space has also enabled the company to expand their product range to include mushrooms and edible flowers.
Speaking about the support, Donna Graves, co-owner of Micro Acres Wales, said:
“ZERO2FIVE support funded by the Welsh Government’s Project HELIX has supported us at crucial points of our business journey, from start-up to expansion. Their expertise, knowledge and understanding has been invaluable and given us confidence in our production processes. There are exciting times ahead for this family business that started with a single tray on a windowsill.”
Professor David Lloyd, Director of ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, said:
“It’s wonderful to see that Project HELIX has been able to support an innovative start-up like Micro Acres Wales. From new businesses, to established companies, the technical and commercial support available through Project HELIX can help Welsh food and drink manufacturers to grow and reach new markets.”
Project HELIX, which is delivered by three food centres across Wales that make up Food Innovation Wales, provides funded technical and commercial support to Welsh food and drink companies.
