Square Roots, a Brooklyn, N.Y.-based indoor urban farming company, developed a way for consumers to see exactly where, when and how their food is grown.
Called the “transparency timeline,” Square Roots captures and analyzes a multitude of data points during the process of growing food.
How it works is, consumers scan the QR code or type in the lot number found on every package of Square Roots fresh produce to see the complete story of where and how that particular item was grown and who grew it — tracing the entire path from seed-to-store.
Square Roots grows food using a hydroponic technique that requires 90% less water than conventional agriculture. Meanwhile, its farms are constructed inside refurbished shipping containers, each with its own programmable climate. This means Square Roots grows food with precision 365 days a year, with zero need for pesticides. Its end-to-end system is supported by software that monitors and controls every aspect of the process.