Key Takeaways
- GrowUp Group Limited has sold its entire shareholding in GrowUp Farms to Sun Capital through a pre-packaged transaction.
- The sale follows difficulties securing new capital in a challenging controlled environment agriculture investment landscape.
- GrowUp Farms’ operations and 83 employees remain unaffected and will continue under new ownership.
- Twelve GrowUp Group employees transferred to the buyer, while 30 roles were made redundant.
- The transaction includes the transfer of the GrowUp Farms brand, intellectual property, and related assets.
GrowUp Farms Transaction Follows Capital Constraints at Group Level
GrowUp Group Limited has completed the sale of its entire shareholding in GrowUp Farms, a UK-based vertical farming business, to Sun Capital Limited via a pre-packaged administration process. The transaction was executed immediately after the appointment of joint administrators on 16 December 2025.
The group was established to build and scale GrowUp Farms and had been working with advisers to explore investment options to support continued growth. According to the company, no capital-raising solutions were secured that could support the business’s immediate needs. This decision reflects broader capital constraints across the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector, particularly for asset-intensive vertical farming models.
Administration Process and Sale Structure Involving GrowUp Farms
Appointment of Joint Administrators
Richard Harrison and Ryan Grant of Interpath were appointed Joint Administrators to GrowUp Group Limited on 16 December 2025. Immediately following their appointment, the administrators completed the sale of GrowUp Farms and certain assets of the Group to Sycamore Midco 2 Limited, a newly incorporated company backed by Sun Capital.
Employee Impact and Business Continuity
As part of the transaction, 12 employees transferred to the buyer. The remaining 30 employees were made redundant. Interpath confirmed that support is being provided to affected staff, including assistance with applications to the Redundancy Payments Office.
The farming operations themselves remain unchanged. GrowUp Farms Limited continues to operate as normal, with its 83 employees retained and day-to-day activities unaffected by the ownership change.
GrowUp Farms Operations Continue Under New Ownership
The company operates a flagship vertical farming facility in Sandwich, Kent, which produces the equivalent of approximately 1,000 acres of grade 1 farmland. The business supplies leafy greens to several major UK food retailers and holds B Corp certification.
Rick Harrison, Managing Director at Interpath and Joint Administrator, said: “The investment landscape within controlled environment agriculture has been difficult, with notable challenges in the sector in the UK. Against this backdrop, we are pleased to have secured a transaction that places GrowUp Farms under new ownership and with fresh investment.”
Thomas Swiers, Director at Interpath and Food & Drink sector lead, added that the sale reflects continued retailer interest in strengthening domestic supply chains through onshoring food production.
Advisory Teams Supporting the GrowUp Farms Transaction
The administrators were advised by CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP. GrowUp Group Limited was advised by Freeths LLP, while the buyer, Sun Capital, was advised by Winston & Strawn London LLP.
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