Neopouss, a company founded by Nicolas Auriac and Quentin Jeandel, is revolutionizing the way microgreens are grown in urban environments. Based in Toulouse, France, the company has decided to cultivate these plants underground in the city center using vertical modules. Their goal is to provide nutrient-rich and flavorful plants to local restaurateurs, with a focus on environmental sustainability.
Both entrepreneurs have extensive experience in various fields and wanted to create a meaningful and environmentally friendly business. Nicolas Auriac, who was already growing microgreens at home, convinced his friend Quentin to join him on this venture. In 2021, they won a regional call for projects aimed at fighting climate change and decided to start their urban farm using hydroponics to minimize water and energy consumption. They underwent training abroad before establishing their first premises on rue Gabriel Peri before eventually moving to their current location in Arnaud-Bernard.
Neopouss now cultivates around forty varieties of microgreens and supplies them to approximately forty local restaurateurs, including well-known chefs like Yannick Delpech. The company prioritizes environmental sustainability by delivering orders on foot or by bike. In 2022, Neopouss was selected to be part of the TechTheMoon incubator, which is dedicated to the lunar economy and managed by Nubbo and CNES. Their unique dehydration process allows them to retain 97% of the plant’s nutrients, making microgreens an ideal solution for astronauts’ nutritional needs during space missions.
In collaboration with the Purpan agronomy engineering school in Toulouse, Neopouss is also working on developing food supplements based on microgreens. They recently expanded their operations by opening a franchise urban farm in Marseille. Through their commitment to sustainability and innovation, Neopouss has become a leading urban farming business that provides high-quality microgreens not only for the local community but also beyond its borders.
Overall, Neopouss has proven itself as an innovative leader in the world of urban farming by providing nutrient-rich microgreens while keeping sustainability at its core.
