Dyson Farming invests £11m in strawberry glasshouse extension

Dyson Farming has partnered with glasshouse engineering specialist CambridgeHOK to build the second phase of its strawberry glasshouse in Lincolnshire.

Having overseen the project to construct the original six-hectare glasshouse in 2020, CambridgeHOK has again been selected by Britain’s biggest privately owned farming business, to add a 4.7-hectare extension.

The £11m investment will allow the facility to grow fruit on more than one million strawberry plants at the same time once in full operation.

Importantly, the facility’s advanced growing systems will boost supply of British strawberries outside of the summer peak when domestic volumes are low, allowing production from early spring through to late autumn.

Dyson Farming’s current glasshouse in Carrington, Lincolnshire already produces 750 tonnes of strawberries each year for British consumers.

Patrick Harte, joint managing director of CambridgeHOK, says the new contract follows a successful four-year partnership on the original project.

“We’re thrilled to be adding this significant extension to what is already an amazing facility for Dyson Farming in Lincolnshire. There can be no better endorsement of the success of that project than the owners expanding on such a large scale just a few years later.

“We have worked very closely with Dyson Farming since the initial build to refine and continually advance the growing environment, helping to increase efficiencies and expand the growing period, making the highest-quality British-grown strawberries available for much longer on our supermarket shelves.

“This extension will expand that supply network and ensure they are available for more customers in 2024.”

Construction of the extension has begun and is set for completion in December, when the first strawberry plants will be planted in it.

The state-of-the-art facility features a swinging hanging gutter system, and heat and power from the adjacent AD plant, allowing the use of LED grow lights when needed to support plant growth.

In addition, the site has a packhouse and cold storage facilities, allowing Dyson Farming to pick, chill, pack and deliver fresh fruit to the end customer as quickly as possible.