Key Takeaways:
- Taylor Farms has acquired FarmWise, a company focused on precision weeding and thinning robotics.
- FarmWise’s Vulcan system helps reduce labor needs and increase productivity in vegetable farming.
- The copmany aims to support broader adoption of ag-tech in specialty crops.
- The acquisition includes a transition plan to maintain support for existing FarmWise customers.
- Separately, Taylor Farms and Foodiverse have acquired salad production facilities in Germany from Bonduelle Group.
Taylor Farms Acquires FarmWise to Expand Ag-Tech Capabilities
Taylor Farms, a leading producer of fresh foods and ready-to-eat salads in North America, has acquired the business of FarmWise, an agricultural technology company specializing in robotic weeding and thinning solutions. The acquisition aligns with Taylor Farms’ approach to integrating automation tools that address efficiency and sustainability in field operations.
Ted Taylor, President of Taylor Farms Agricultural Operations, commented, “We believe in the FarmWise technology and think we have an important role to play with industry adoption in the specialty crop space.”
With this move, Taylor Farms seeks to support industry-wide use of technologies that improve precision farming and reduce manual labor requirements.
Vulcan Platform Brings Automated Weeding to Specialty Crops
The centerpiece of FarmWise’s offering is its Vulcan platform—a robotics system designed to handle precision weeding and thinning, two labor-intensive tasks in specialty crop production. The system is already in use across multiple farms and is viewed by its developers as a scalable solution for addressing field-level labor constraints.
“I’m incredibly proud of what our team has built,” said Tjarko Leifer, CEO of FarmWise. “The FarmWise Vulcan delivers a strong return on investment to vegetable growers today, and this is just the beginning.”
Taylor Farms has indicated that support for existing FarmWise customers will continue without interruption. The company will oversee a structured transition to maintain service quality and operational consistency for current users of the Vulcan technology.
Taylor Farms’ Focus on Automation in Agriculture
The acquisition reflects Taylor Farms’ broader strategic interest in agricultural innovation and mechanization. By adding FarmWise’s expertise in autonomous field operations, the company aims to enhance its agricultural operations while also contributing to industry-wide discussions around scalable ag-tech adoption.
The deal builds on the companies’ current investments in technology and complements ongoing efforts to streamline production practices and address labor challenges in farming.
Additional Acquisition in Germany
In a separate development, the company, alongside its European partner Foodiverse, has also acquired two salad production facilities in Germany, previously operated by Bonduelle Group’s fresh business. Starting April 1, the facilities—located in Straelen, Reutlingen, and Thurland—will be managed by Foodiverse and operate under the new brand name Greenfresh. This acquisition supports Taylor Farms’ expansion into the European fresh food market.
