Ocado has put a total of £ 17 m ( $ 21.5 m ) into vertical farming through two deals . The deal is Ocado’s first move into food production, but follows its £4.8m investment in food robot firm Karakuri last month. The UK - based online supermarket will take a majority stake in Europe 's largest vertical farming operation , Jones Food Group , which has a 5,000 sq m production site in Scunthorpe . It also plans to construct vertical farms near its own distribution and technology centres . Additionally , the supermarket will form a joint venture with 80 Acres Farms and Priva Holdings to develop technology solutions for vertical farming . Ocado plans to become a major player in the production of leafy greens by investing heavily in the energy - saving , low - wastage , sustainable technology .
Ocado has put a total of £ 17 m ( $ 21.5 m ) into vertical farming through two deals . The UK - based online supermarket will take a majority stake in Europe 's largest vertical farming operation , Jones Food Group , which has a 5,000 sq m production site in Scunthorpe . It also plans to construct vertical farms near its own distribution and technology centres . Additionally , the supermarket will form a joint venture with 80 Acres Farms and Priva Holdings to develop technology solutions for vertical farming . Ocado plans to become a major player in the production of leafy greens by investing heavily in the energy - saving , low - wastage , sustainable technology .