Belarro microgreens mix fresh in container

THE LAB

What's really on your plate

Most microgreens on Berlin plates were grown on synthetic sponge, fed liquid chemical nutrients, shipped alive in plastic from 650 km away, and left for you to cut.

Ours are grown in soil, fed nothing, and on your station the same day.

Sponge vs soil on dark slate
Growing MediumSynthetic sponge (import) vs organic soil (Belarro)
Import in blue plastic on dark slate
How Imports ArriveAlive on sponge. In plastic. You cut it yourself.
Belarro vs import radish on dark slate
Daikon RadishImport (left) vs Belarro (right). Same seed. Different result.
Belarro vs import pea shoots on dark slate
Pea ShootsBelarro (left) vs import (right). Longer, firmer, more leaf.
0 km
Distance
Berlin to Berlin
0 days
Harvest to Plate
Cut same morning
0
Additives
Soil provides the minerals
The Evidence

Soil vs. Sponge

Belarro (Soil)
Dutch Import (Hydroponic)
Organic soil. Peat & perlite.
Medium
Cellulose fiber (bleached wood pulp) or rockwool (spun basalt)
Zero additives
Nutrients
Synthetic NPK solutions, calcium nitrate, chelated micronutrients
Concentrated, true-to-seed. Soil stress produces more glucosinolates.
Flavor
Milder, more neutral. Higher water content dilutes flavor compounds.
Firm stems, natural crunch from pushing through soil
Texture
Softer, thinner stems. Less structural resistance during growth.
Higher polyphenols, glucosinolates, carotenoids per gram
Nutrition
Higher weight per plant, but lower nutrient density. Fertilizer pumps water, not flavor.
Cut same morning, delivered same day
Freshness
Shipped alive on sponge. You cut it yourself.
0 km. Berlin to Berlin.
Distance
~650 km from Westland, Netherlands
10 days from delivery (pre-cut, ready to plate)
Shelf Life
2–3 days usable after arrival. Shipped alive on sponge in plastic, chef must cut.
Direct. Producer to chef. No middlemen.
Supply
Producer → Dutch trader → German distributor → restaurant
225g = 1 compostable box
Waste
225g = ~15 small plastic containers, each with a synthetic sponge inside
Data sourced from: Journal of Food Science (Turner, 2020) · Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2023) · Koppert Cress FAQ · Science in Hydroponics
Taste the Difference

Don't take our word for it.
Try them side by side.

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