Plantcube from Agrilution is a very special solution presented by Miele. It is a fully automatic, small-scale vertical farms, no larger than a standard refrigerator, offering perfect growing conditions combined with minimal effort. Design highlight in any kitchen or living room, it takes inspiration from the Vertical Farming, a term used by futurologists to denote multi-level greenhouses providing a local and space-saving supply of fresh produce, for example in urban conurbations.
The Miele Group’s involvement in this business commenced immediately after insolvency filing on December 1. Insolvency proceedings were instigated by Agrilution GmbH after a scheduled round of financing failed to produce the anticipated results. In the course of these proceedings, the Miele Group acquired the brand, the know-how and further assets.
Directors of the new company are the Agrilution founders Maximilian Lössl and Philipp Wagner. At Miele, Agrilution is supported by Gernot Trettenbrein, Division Director Domestic Appliances of Miele Group and also Managing Director of Miele Venture Capital GmbH. «With a view to creative cooking, a whole new world of flavours, wholesome cooking and urban lifestyles, Plantcubes offer consumers new and exciting opportunities – says Gernot Trettenbrein. Consequently, this concept is a perfect match for Miele. – We believe in the idea, the product and the business model – and in long-term collaboration with the two founders and their team.»
But how Pancube works? 
In principle, it offers a self-contained eco system with simple seedmat liners, regulated lighting and a controlled micro-climate as well as automatic watering. This results in Plantcube virtually controlling itself. Harvested produce is free from pesticides and other contamination. The system is controlled via the Agrilution Cloud. A user-friendly app provides an insight into the growth process and instructions on maintenance and harvesting.
«An increasing number of people live in an urban setting yet strive to live consciously and claim their individual freedoms – says Maximilian Lössl, who founded Agrilution together with his partner Philipp Wagner. – And our Plantcube brings fresher lettuce, herbs and micro-greens directly to your table». Micro-greens is a collective term for seedlings which can be harvested within only a few days, adding rich flavour and nutrients. Currently, Agrilution offers a range of 25 different types of baby salads, herbs and micro-greens. Food-safe seedmats, produced in Munich by Agrilution, are made entirely from upcycled fabric waste. Whereas a single head of field-grown lettuce requires up to 120 l of water to grow, the same volume of water is sufficient to supply an entire Plantcube for a full year. Plantcubes have been on the market since March 2019.
