Ljusgårda plants new direction in agritech with precision bioactive farming

SWEDEN – Ljusgårda, a Swedish indoor farming company, is making a sharp turn away from traditional agriculture.

Instead of growing crops only for food, it is now focusing on how plants can produce high-value compounds used in wellness, pharmaceutical, and beauty products.

“We’re not chasing yield per acre,” said a Ljusgårda spokesperson. “We’re dialing in light wavelengths and nutrient pulses to manipulate the biology of plants.”

That means more than just growing lettuce indoors. Ljusgårda’s facilities are tuned to stimulate the production of secondary metabolites like antioxidants, flavonoids, and terpenes. These compounds are used in skin care, supplements, and even medicine.

To grow these substances at scale, the company treats plants more like tools than crops, using controlled environmental changes such as temperature shifts and light schedules to trigger desired responses.

To drive this effort forward, Ljusgårda is hiring a Senior Plant Scientist. This position goes far beyond typical greenhouse work. The chosen expert will carry out in-depth lab experiments, adjust growing conditions, and analyze plant responses.

The role involves working across biology, chemistry, and data to shape actual consumer products.

“They’ll be shaping functional products for the real world, whether that means a skin serum that uses light-triggered flavonoids or a wellness drink powered by stress-enhanced adaptogens,” said the company.

Anyone interested in this role will need experience in experimental design, chromatography, and real-world product development.

The scientist will work closely with formulation teams and engineers to make sure the plant compounds are not only grown but also extracted, tested, and included in useful products.

This move changes how people think about indoor farming. Ljusgårda is not trying to compete with outdoor farms on the cost of food. Instead, they are looking to create added value by growing ingredients that fetch higher market prices.

“The ability to grow function rather than calories could reshape the economics of controlled environment agriculture,” the company added.

Market interest and industry shift

There’s growing demand for natural ingredients, especially in personal care and wellness sectors. With rising energy costs and narrow profit margins in food crops, the idea of producing compounds instead of calories is attracting attention.

Industry analysts estimate that the market for precision-grown bioactive crops will reach USD 5.7 billion by the end of 2024. Over the next decade, it could grow to USD 14.7 billion.

Ljusgårda isn’t alone. Other companies are also moving in this direction. GrowUp Farms in the UK, known for selling salad greens, recently began developing a new line of functional greens targeted at health-conscious consumers.

Meanwhile, Germany’s Infarm has started testing nutrient-boosted herbs in collaboration with local pharmacies. These changes suggest that more companies are looking beyond the grocery aisle.

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