Intro
Agricooltur® brings out-of-soil agriculture to large retail aisles: basil and Salanova® lettuce, grown at zero distance, arrive alive and fresh at Carrefour Hypermarket and Market stores in Milan and Turin.
need
Carrefour wanted to offer customers a unique experience: truly fresh, local, and sustainable products, capable of lasting longer outside the refrigerator without resorting to heavy packaging or artificial preservation processes.
solution
Aeroponic cultivation near stores: greenhouses installed in Milan City Life and Carignano (TO) to supply stores in Milan and Turin respectively.
- Living products: basil and Salanova® are sold still with roots, ready to root again at home with a little water—a valid alternative to ready-to-eat products
- Reduction of refrigeration and transportation: local cultivation eliminates the need for cold chain and minimizes transportation pollution
- 100% compostable packaging that keeps the product alive until consumption, in line with the project’s eco-sustainable philosophy.
results
The presence of Agricooltur® products on Carrefour shelves has received very positive feedback in terms of:
- Perceived quality: visibly fresh, living, untreated vegetables;
- Sustainability: reduction of waste and harmful packaging;
- Innovation: a unique offering that differentiates the store’s selection;
- Customer experience: greater consumer trust in locally and responsibly grown products.
A concrete step toward more conscious large-scale distribution that values customer and environmental well-being.
other projects
In Sozzago (NO), an indoor facility transforms a former cold storage room into a sustainable production hub
In 2024, PUM RUS installed an indoor facility producing over 24,000 units per year, transforming a former cold storage room into a production space for live vegetables destined for the restaurant, direct sales, and the HoReCa channel.
A Sozzago (NO), un impianto indoor trasforma un’ex cella frigo in un hub produttivo sostenibile
Nel 2024 PUM RUS ha installato un impianto indoor da oltre 24.000 prodotti l’anno, trasformando un’ex cella frigo in uno spazio produttivo per ortaggi vivi destinati a ristorante, vendita diretta e canale HoReCa.
Carrefour brings zero-kilometer production to the storefront
From 2023 to 2025, an Hortus module in front of Carrefour Market in Piazzale Siena enabled the cultivation and sale of zero-kilometer products, combining sustainability and retail.


