The world’s largest vertical farm will be next to Dubai’s Expo 2020 site and a proportion of its output will provide fresh produce for over 50 million meals served at the much-anticipated World Expo, in collaboration with Emirates Flight Catering.

The 130,000 square foot farm will provide some of its fresh greens to over 200 food and beverage outlets at the 173-day event, showcasing Expo 2020’s commitment to Sustainability – one of the event’s three key sub-themes, alongside Opportunity and Mobility.

The indoor vertical farm will use 99 per cent less water than outdoor farms and everything grown at the farm will be herbicide and pesticide-free. 2,700 kilos of greens are expected to be produced daily during the Expo, which runs from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.

There will be over 200 food and beverage outlets located at the Expo 2020 site, some of which are run by Emirates Flight Catering,which will include fine dining restaurants, featuring rotating menus and a monthly star chef from its extensive network, while Grains and Greens will offer gourmet sandwiches, bowl creations, and sharing platters. Meanwhile, La Patisserie will provide sweet treats and coffee in an elegant atmosphere, and Deli2Go will serve simple and fresh bites that can be enjoyed on the move.

More than 192 countries have been confirmed for the World’s Greatest Show. During the six months, visitors will see participating nations come together to exhibit their feats in every sector, from industrial to scientific to technological. It’s expected to have 25 million visits from all corners of the globe, with ticket prices starting from Dhs 120 per day.

Saeed Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Flight Catering, said: “We are committed to bringing our customers the freshest and highest quality food possible by adopting the latest technology into our operations. Our ‘farm to fork’ concept not only secures our own supply chain of locally-sourced, fresh vegetables, but it significantly reduces our environmental footprint as well. We are delighted to collaborate with Expo 2020 to provide millions of visitors with a truly memorable gastronomical experience.”