Science fiction has often envisioned a future where robots rule the world absent of human control. While this idea may be farfetched for today’s world, robots are quickly replacing humans in the workplace. This is especially true in the food industry where automated robots are used to ensure consistency and quality. Robots are reliable, perform tasks with lightning speed, don’t take lunch breaks and ask for nothing in return. Because of this, it’s no shock automation is key for every food plant of the future.
In Japan, SPREAD Co., Ltd is testing this idea to the limit announcing last week it has begun construction on what will be the world’s first fully automated, large-scale vegetable factory. Automated from seeding to harvest, the new facility will be capable of producing 30,000 heads of lettuce per day. The company says its long-term goal is to produce 500,000 heads of lettuce per day in five years.