KAITEKI Fresh Australia Pty Ltd is a new Japanese company trading in hydroponic production of leafy green vegetables.
Kaiteki means "comfort" or "ease" in Japanese and is the motto that represents quality of life achievable through sustainable technologies.
Respect for the environment is a key element of this concept and Ecoleaf fresh produce is the perfect embodiment of the philosophy.
The Ecoleaf stands for “environmental friendly, clean and convenient” leafy vegetables.
Several years ago, Kaiteki Fresh contracted the Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) to test its Napper Land hydroponic production system under Australian conditions.
Further research and development trials examined nutrition, water and fertiliser use and assessed post-harvest packaging and shelf-life trials.
After impressive results from pre-commercial trials at DEDJTR, Knoxfield, Kaiteki Fresh decided to increase production by building a 0.5 hectare state-of-the-art glasshouse facility at Bunyip, 85 kilometres south east of Melbourne.
It was officially opened by the minister for agriculture Jaala Pulford in July 2015.
Kaiteki Fresh currently produces baby spinach, rocket and kale in the Ecoleaf range without the use of pesticides, and with minimal water (more than 90 per cent less) and nitrogen inputs compared to traditional farming practices.
Production of these vegetables occurs in two steps.
Throughout the year, seed is germinated and raised for seven to 10 days in a closed seedling chamber (Nae Terrace) with controlled temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, light and irrigation.
Seedlings are then grown to harvest size using Nutrient Film Technology, a Napper Land hydroponic system.
The growth cycle of plants grown using this system is quick.
After transfer to the Napper Land benches, plants are usually harvested after two to four weeks, depending on the season (eg. shorter in summer and longer in winter).
This technology enables more than 18 harvests annually for spinach. At harvest, whole plants are removed from the hydroponics with part of the root system still attached.
Within one hour, they are cooled and packed into polymer "sleeves" that restrict water loss.
This combination of handling allows the plants to live longer and stay fresher compared to other leafy products on the market.
Ecoleaf products are usually dispatched within two days of harvest and they have a 14 day shelf-life when stored upright in a refrigerator.
In a packaging trial, Ecoleaf spinach was compared to four other commercially available products.
They were stored at 4°C for 14 days and assessed every one to three days for visual quality (VQ).
At the end of the trial period, Ecoleaf spinach rated highest with a VQ score of five (very good).
For the other brands, wilting was the main cause of decline in VQ ratings.
Two products (Brands #3 and #4) had a VQ less than three (fair) after 14 days and were deemed unsaleable.
One of the main selling points for the Ecoleaf range is the "clean and green" production process.
At no stage, are pesticides or chemicals used for washing the leaves. A recent audit conducted by DEDJTR (Attwood) which used an independent accredited laboratory to test for the presence of more than 400 pesticide types, and Ecoleaf returned a highly favourable result.
The analysis of the fresh kale sample showed that "no pesticide residues" were detected which is a strong confirmation that Kaiteki Fresh products are 100pc pesticide free.
Kaiteki Fresh recently celebrated its first birthday at Bunyip and their products are proving popular with consumers, young and old, because the leaves are nutritious, tender, juicy and “oishii” (delicious in Japanese).
Consumers can now purchase Ecoleaf products in more than 30 stores in Victoria and along the east coast of Australia, as well as in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Planning is underway to increase production in the near future which suggests Kaiteki Fresh is following through with its dreams and turning them into reality.
- Copy supplied by Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR).