Supplying guaranteed fresh and traceable vegetables to consumers across its e-commerce platform and 7Fresh stores is the aim of JD.com through the new 11,040m2 vegetable farming venture.
A new facility in partnership with Japanese chemical manufacturing giant Mitsubishi Chemical will open in Tongzhou, Beijing.
“JD’s supply chain technology, logistics network and e-commerce expertise combined with Mitsubishi Chemical’s sophisticated growing technology puts us in an ideal position to create an entirely new model for agriculture, and cultivates a fresh and healthy lifestyle in China,” said Xiaosong Wang, president of JD.com FMCG and food businesses.
Inside Retail Asia reported the hydroponic cultivation facility will produce higher output volumes than traditional farming systems, sporting the ability to produce 19 batches of spinach per year, compared with four in a field of six when grown in a greenhouse.
All crops produced in the facility, which include spinach, cabbage, red and green lettuce, and coriander, among others, will be tracked from the time they are planted to when they are delivered.
Other retailers like Walmart and Hema have launched similar programmes utilising traceability functions on vegetables through QR codes this year. Walmart told Fruitnet it also plans to extend to its own production down the track.
Fresh vegetables from the factory will be available from this month, and the companies say they plan to work together to introduce more fruit and vegetable varieties going forward.
