Since relocating from Kharkiv to Ivano-Frankivsk, former IT specialist Volodymyr Myronenko has transformed his hobby into a lucrative business venture. His farm, "Micro Green Prykarpattya," swiftly rose to prominence in microgreen cultivation, with its produce selling on the shelves of supermarkets within months.
The key to Myronenko's success lies in a professional approach to cultivation and careful selection of the right market segment. According to him, choosing high-quality seeds from various specialised suppliers was crucial.
What began as a 70-square-meter farm has now expanded to 350 square meters. The total volume of microgreens shipped amounts to approximately 8,000 boxes. The farm boasts the city's largest collection of edible flowers, with five shelves yielding approximately 20,000 blossoms.
In the first week of February, they sowed 215 kilograms of wheatgrass, expanding their cultivation area to over 1,000 square meters. This allows for the cultivation of a variety of plants, including peas, sunflowers, radishes, barley, and broccoli. Noteworthy varieties include Japanese carrots, Mary sorrel, and spicy nasturtium, each offering unique properties and flavours to satisfy even the most discerning palates.
The innovation such as processing of microgreens into wheatgrass juice extends the shelf life of the product and broadens its functional uses. Myronenko notes that this market segment currently operates in the shadows, primarily through social media, leaving retail space for wheatgrass untapped.
"Our wheatgrass juice concentrate contains all the essential vitamins—30 millilitres of wheatgrass juice replacing 1.5 kilograms of vegetables and fruits per day. It can be added to other juices, priced at approximately 1 euro," explains Volodymyr Myronenko. With a maximum capacity of 35,000-38,000 servings per month, this equates to 1,100 monthly clients.
Myronenko proudly asserts that "Micro Green Prykarpattya" leads in wheatgrass production in Ukraine and ranks second in microgreens.
Source: agroportal.ua