RegEnergy

Dutch FoodVentures has realized that the way we produce food needs to be rethought. Over the next 40 years, we need to produce the same amount of food as in the last 8,000 years, and traditional farming is no longer necessarily sustainable in the long run. That's why FoodVentures has developed a solution to this challenge: technological solutions that support the production of fresh food sustainably.

Founded back in 2011 by Dirk Aleven, FoodVentures was born out of an interesting observation: a huge proportion of Dutch vegetables ended up on plates in other countries.

And perhaps it's no wonder because in the Netherlands they are experts in greenhouse farming. It's a technique that has been developed and refined over many years. Historically, greenhouses have been simple glass constructions to extend the season until they look like the greenhouses we know today, but innovative technology makes it possible to control the climate in the greenhouse down to the smallest detail and thus produce food all year round.

Today, 80% of Dutch greenhouse producers export to markets such as Germany, England, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia. With 6,000-8,000 hectares of greenhouse space, competition is fierce. Innovation is key to survival and FoodVentures challenges the status quo.

They don't believe in exporting food, energy, and labor. Instead, they focus on exporting technology and greenhouse concepts that enable local production close to consumers.

Sweden is a perfect example. Today, 86% of tomatoes are imported from the Netherlands or Spain. FoodVentures' technology can change this picture by establishing greenhouse production in Sweden, bringing fresh tomatoes closer to Swedish consumers.

FoodVentures believes that in the future, consumers will want to know where their food comes from. Sustainability and transparency are key. They are bringing greenhouses closer to consumers and creating a system that combines Dutch knowledge and efficiency with local production.

Previously, the greenhouses used fossil fuels. At FoodVentures, the focus is on utilizing surplus heat from industry that would otherwise go to waste. In the greenhouses, the heat is used to create an optimal microclimate where the plants absorb CO2 and produce delicious, local tomatoes.

An example of this way of farming can be found in Frövi, Sweden. The project is called Selected RegEnergy Frövi and consists of a 100,000 m² greenhouse in which tomatoes will be produced using surplus heat taken from a nearby paper goods factory in a circular system. The greenhouse will produce 8,000 tons of tomatoes per year.

Watch all videos here:

• Video 2: From farm to plate - How greenhouse farming could be the future of food production
• Video 3: Innovation in food production in Sweden: Local, fresh tomatoes packed with flavor
• Video 4: The important greenhouse mission of bumblebees

Selected RegEnergy fund

By 2030, it is estimated that up to 53% of Europe's energy consumption will be lost in the form of waste heat (https://www.whyenergyefficiency.com/solutions/allsolutions/the-worlds-largest-untapped-energy-source-excess-heat). In addition, water shortages and drought are a growing problem in several of the countries where tomatoes, for example, are currently produced. It therefore makes sense to move production closer to the consumer.

The project in Frövi is just the first project in the Selected RegEnergy fund. The fund's ambition is to establish several projects, including greenhouses, where waste products from industrial production are used for sustainable food and biomaterial production.

An investment in the Selected RegEnergy fund is a long-term investment where you as an investor can look forward to an average annual return of over 15%.