Designing Microgreens Production – as a Service and Investment
microgreens not only for human
One of the most unusual urban businesses is a mini-farm for microgreens and mushrooms. With artificial lighting and controlled air environment, an industrial building or basement can generate profit and become a viable occupation. Although it is a business with all related risks, with design and concept development, the required investments are relatively low.
Creating a microgreens production requires a professional design approach
What the project of sprouts farm design includes:
Assessment of the facility: ventilation, microclimate, water supply, zoning potential.
Development of the technological process: racks, lighting, irrigation systems, type of substrate.
Selection of crops for cultivation, flexibility – forcing onion or garlic greens.
Business planning: cost calculation, payback, pricing.
Marketing: target audience (HoReCa, shops, end consumers), sales channels, packaging.
Digital solutions: own brand, website, CRM for order management, social media promotion.
Turnkey sprouts farm design is suitable for:
Entrepreneurs renting an industrial space or small workshop.
Retail chains that want to add microgreens to their assortment.
Microgreens are young sprouts of vegetables, herbs, or cereals, harvested 7–14 days after germination. They are grown without soil or on light substrates, under automatic control of temperature, humidity, and lighting.
Main stages in micro-green cultivation:
Seed preparation: soaking, disinfection.
Choice of substrate: coconut mats, agrofibre, peat, paper, basalt mineral wool for hydroponics.
Microclimate control: temperature 20–24°C, humidity 60–80%.
Lighting: full-spectrum LED lamps, 12–16 hours per day.
Sterility: regular disinfection of trays and surfaces.
Harvesting: by scissors or cutting whole mats.
Since vegetation is short, strict cycle organization is crucial for weekly harvests. Plant sprouts also release phytoncides that inhibit harmful microflora in the substrate. However, strict hygiene is necessary, including air sterilization devices (ozonator or UV purifier), as city air quality matters.
We conducted interesting experiments with microgreens in 2024. We used three different types of substrate. Coconut mats – a special substrate, no substrate at all and a 0.5 cm layer of fertile soil. As a result, even for sprouts that feed on the energy stored in the seed, it turned out that natural fertile soil gives a more saturated color to sunflower and pea sprouts. The soil was not sterile, and you can’t recommend this for sale. But for sprouts for animals – please.
Economics of microgreens production (Moscow and region example)
Microgreens offer high profitability with reasonable rent and good marketing. Key factors:
Rent for microgreens facility:
Ideal: former workshops, warehouses, basements.
Payback rent rate: up to 700–1000 RUB/m²/month.
Minimum area: 20–50 m² for pilot launch.
Electricity: three-phase connection is important for artificial lighting.
Mini-farm setup:
Multi-tier racks made of metal or food-grade plastic.
LED lighting – 30–50 W/m². More efficient and cheaper than gas-discharge lamps for greenhouses.
Ventilation and humidifiers.
Packing and storage area.
Mushroom cultivation requires no light, but controlled cool and humid climate with air disinfection.
Payback of microgreens farm:
With stable sales: 6–9 months.
Average markup: 300–500% per tray.
Gross profit from 1 m² growing area: 8–12k RUB/month.
Popular microgreens crops and sales formats
Top crops:
Seed crop
Growing period
Popularity
Sunflower
8–10 days
★★★★☆
Pea
10–12 days
★★★★☆
Radish
6–8 days
★★★★★
Broccoli
6–8 days
★★★☆☆
Cress
5–7 days
★★★★☆
Arugula
8–10 days
★★★☆☆
Amaranth
10–12 days
★★★☆☆
Basil
12–14 days
★★★★☆
Fennel
12–15 days
★★☆☆☆
Sprouts sales formats:
Fresh-cut in plastic containers 50–150 g.
“Live microgreens” – tray with substrate.
Premium assortments for restaurants.
Gift sets with branded packaging.
Seeds and mushroom spawn sources
Seeds in Russia:
Russian suppliers: “Gavrish”, “Aelita”, “SeDek”, “Poisk” – sometimes suitable.
Important: uncoated, untreated seeds with ≥90% germination.
Mushroom spawn suppliers in Russia:
“Mycelium Center” (Tver)
“Gribnaya Raduga” (St. Petersburg)
“Mykos-Agro” (Moscow) and others.
Spawn comes in grain or substrate form, requires fast startup.
You may easily find out and choose best suppliers in your country.
Beyond oyster mushrooms: other mushrooms to grow
King oyster (Pleurotus eryngii) – dense texture, popular in HoReCa.
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) – shade, high humidity, demanded in restaurants.
Maitake – harder to cultivate, valued for medicinal properties.
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) – requires stable microclimate, functional food.
Reishi – long cycle, medicinal use, nutraceuticals.
Chaga – industrial cultivation is hard, collected in wild, but startups exist.
Exotic mushrooms and microgreens are common in mid/high-level retail chains. Market entry requires combinations: microgreens + mushrooms + herbs with fast delivery. Store products are less fresh, but delivery ensures “same-day from shelf” freshness.
***
Microgreens and mushroom farming is a real alternative to traditional agriculture in cities. With proper design, crop selection, and marketing, this business can be profitable, eco-friendly, and sustainable. Demand from restaurants, cafes, shops, and health-conscious consumers keeps growing, though market saturation should be considered.
Another startup idea: growing green fodder mats from grain for livestock on eco-farms, unlocking the nutritional potential of seeds, boosting vitamins and bioactive compounds in sprouts.
