Key Takeaways
- Planet Farms is launching a new Pesto line under the Luca 1863 brand at the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York.
- Luca 1863 is a premium Pesto brand created in partnership with Appennino Food Group. It emphasizes 100% Italian ingredients.
- Four varieties of Pesto will be available: Basil and truffle, Basil and pumpkin, Basil and tomato, and Basil and peperoncino.
- Planet Farms’ basil is a key ingredient, grown in their high-tech vertical farm in Cirimido, Italy.
- The Pesto line is shelf-stable and clean label, with no acidifiers or preservatives, maintaining traditional Italian flavors and quality.
Planet Farms Launches Luca 1863 Pesto Line: 100% Italiano
Planet Farms is set to unveil its new Pesto line, Luca 1863, at the 2024 Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. This launch represents a collaboration between Planet Farms and Appennino Food Group, combining advanced food technology with Italian culinary tradition to create a premium Pesto brand.
Product Launch Details
The Luca 1863 brand, named to reflect its deep Italian heritage, will feature four distinct varieties of Pesto: Basil and truffle, Basil and pumpkin, Basil and tomato, and Basil and peperoncino. Each variant highlights Planet Farms’ fresh basil as a central ingredient alongside other locally sourced Italian ingredients.
“Differentiation, quality, and creativity are in our DNA,” says Luca Travaglini, co-founder and co-CEO of Planet Farms. “Over the past months, we have been working relentlessly with our product development and agronomy team to craft the best tasting Pesto you can buy in the market. We have a lot of experience creating fresh Pesto sauces, but we wanted to show the world that it is also possible to create a shelf-stable Pesto, without compromising on taste or using additives. By combining our cleanest specialty basil and the innovative technology from Appennino Food Group, we have found the perfect recipe for an amazing Pesto Line, 100% Italiano!”
Vertical Farming Innovation
The basil used in Luca 1863 Pesto is sourced from Planet Farms’ new vertical farming facility in Cirimido, Italy. This state-of-the-art, fully autonomous farm spans 20,000 square meters and requires only three operators to manage. The facility can pack basil automatically within two minutes after harvest, ensuring maximum freshness. In addition to basil, the farm can produce 80,000 packs of salad daily.
Quality and Tradition
The Pesto line emphasizes high-quality, 100% Italian ingredients. Each recipe features Planet Farms’ vertically farmed basil, which is meticulously grown to ensure a bold and delicious flavor. The Pesto also includes Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and other regional Italian ingredients: tomatoes and pumpkins from Emilia Romagna, peperoncino from Calabria, and truffles directly from Appennino Food Group.
The products are designed to be shelf-stable and clean-label, containing no acidifiers or preservatives. This approach preserves the traditional taste and quality of Italian Pesto while making it accessible for longer-term storage.
Varieties and Ingredients
At launch, the following four varieties of Luca 1863 Pesto will be available:
- Basil & Truffle
- Basil & Pumpkin
- Basil & Tomato
- Basil & Peperoncino
Each variety showcases a blend of carefully selected ingredients to create a harmonious and rich flavor profile, akin to the craftsmanship of an Italian architect.
Planet Farms Latest News
Fire Breaks At Its Cavenago Plant (2024/01/23)
On January 22, 2024, a fire at Planet Farms’ Cavenago plant caused substantial damage, including the collapse of the warehouse roof. The fire started around 6:00 AM, and investigations suggest a potential malfunction in the air conditioning system as the cause. The fire has been brought under control, and no injuries have been reported. Despite the setback, Planet Farms’ expansion plans for a new plant in Cirimido are progressing. Environmental impact assessments are ongoing, with the confirmed release of pollutants classified as mildly toxic.
Secures $40M For UK & Italy Expansion (2023/11/23)
Italian company Planet Farms has raised $40 million in a funding round, taking its total funding to over $140 million. The company plans to use the funds to expand in Italy and the UK, including completing a new facility in Cirimido, Italy, and entering the UK market. The new facility is expected to be one of the largest vertical farms globally and is set to be operational by the end of summer 2024. Planet Farms has already begun marketing its products in the UK and plans to open a new facility north of London in the second half of 2025.
Expands Product Line in Central Italy (2023/10/30)
Planet Farms expanded its product offerings in central Italy and partnered with Elite Supermercati to make its Frescaah line-up, featuring a variety of greens and garlic-free Pestooh, available in Rome, Umbria, and the Marche. The company prioritizes fresh and premium quality in its products, which are grown through vertical farming. This move is part of Planet Farms’ efforts to strengthen its presence and accessibility in the Italian market.
Planet Farms Gets a 17.5M Euros By Unicredit & Sace (2022/12/22)
Planet Farms, an Italy-based vertical farming company, has received a credit of 17.5 million euros from Unicredit, guaranteed by Sace, to finance the construction of their second vertical farm in the province of Como. The new facility will be larger than their current farm, allowing them to expand their production capacity. The company is also continuing its growth plans by opening a new farm in Brusaporto and appointing a new CEO and President for their Italian operation. They are also planning to establish a new research and development center, as well as a new farm in Cirimido that will be about 50% bigger than the previous ones. The financing follows another investment of USD 30M from Azimut Investments.
Appoints CEO & Announce New Expansion Plans (2022/12/02)
Planet Farms has appointed Mara Valsecchi and Marco Bordoli as CEO and President respectively of Planet Farms Italia. They will lead the company’s growth and upcoming research and development center, which will be about 50% larger than the ones the company currently has. The corporation is expanding its manufacturing capacity and charting a course for global expansion by constructing new factories and research facilities.
Planet Farms Opens New Farm With 3-Star Michelin Restaurant (2022/10/14)
The Italy-based vertical farm has opened a custom-made farm with two growth chambers in Brusaporto, in partnership with the three-Michelin-star restaurant Da Vittorio. This allows the restaurant to grow its own crops on-site, including multiple types of basil, baby leaves, and other micro-greens as per the chef’s request. The opening marks an important step for Planet Farms as it showcases one of the possible applications of its vertical farming model and the high quality of its product. In February of that year, the company closed a USD 30m financing round from Azimut Investments to finance its expansion and research and development.
Image provided by Planet Farms
3 Comments