PETALING JAYA (May 31): Sunway XFarms is eyeing the launch of Kuala Lumpur City Centre's largest indoor vertical farm in the third quarter of 2022 (3Q22).

Set up in September 2020 with funding and talent by Sunway Property and Sunway Education Group, Sunway XFarms has nourished more than 1,800 families with over 15,000 kg of leafy vegetables grown and harvested right from the urban farm in Sunway's flagship smart sustainable city Sunway City Kuala Lumpur since its inception.

The new farm, which will occupy three floors spanning 37,000 sq ft of Sunway Tower in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, is expected to produce at least 13,000 kg of fresh and pesticide-free vegetables per month.

"With Sunway XFarms launched in Sunway Tower, we hope to accelerate our commitment towards scaling sustainable food production which is close to consumers. Sunway XFarms will be able to contribute towards Malaysia's food security, one seed at a time," said Sunway XFarms chief operating officer Eleanor Choong in a press statement on Tuesday.

By using 90% less water compared to traditional farming, XFarms is able to yield 10 times more produce with less than 5% on-farm wastage. Moreover, it ensures consistently high quality, produce is grown in a safe and controlled environment powered by a range of smart IoT sensors and cameras, which provide live analysis and information to the farm managers.

"Sunway XFarms builds farms which are both market and technology driven. Our smart farm ecosystem allows us to remotely manage our farms' output, match it to demand accurately and make informed decisions using data collected and analysed from hundreds of data points at any given time. By doing so, we see that we are not only achieving key production metrics but also sustainability goals," added Choong.

Sunway XFarms is currently collaborating with the group's various business divisions including Sunway Malls, Sunway Hotels and Resorts as well as Sunway Lagoon, to expand its presence by building four food hubs and farms in the Klang Valley, Johor, Ipoh and Penang.

Sunway XFarms in Sunway City Kuala Lumpur is also a key source of ingredients for local healthy food eatery La Juiceria Superfoods as well as restaurants at five-star hotel Sunway Resort, which includes upcoming world-class restaurant Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill.