Montel Helps Advance the Future of Pollinator-Independent Indoor Berry Production

MOFARM

Montel Inc. is proud to support a major Canadian research initiative aimed at rethinking how berries can be grown indoors, reliably and year-round, without bees.

Montel has entered a strategic partnership with researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) to support the development of a pollinator-independent indoor berry production technology. The project is made possible through the Weston Family Foundation, via the Homegrown Innovation Challenge Scaling Phase, which invests in innovative solutions to strengthen Canada’s domestic food production.

Why This Matters

Berry production has long been difficult to scale indoors. Traditional pollination methods rely on bees — a fragile solution in enclosed, multi-layer environments where lighting, airflow, and spatial constraints limit effectiveness.

TMU’s research directly addresses this barrier.

In June 2025, TMU researchers Professor Habiba Bougherara and Professor Lesley Campbell were awarded a grant that will provide up to $5 million to advance a novel system that enables raspberries — and potentially other berries — to be grown indoors without bees. Their innovation centers on a patented airflow and microclimate system designed to autonomously transfer pollen between flowers.

The result: a research-driven approach to pollination built specifically for controlled-environment agriculture.

Montel’s Role

Montel joins the project as an expert in indoor vertical farming systems, supporting TMU’s scientific leadership with engineering expertise and a purpose-built pilot environment.

As part of the collaboration, Montel will design and host MoFarm, a pilot farm located adjacent to its manufacturing facility in Montmagny, Québec. MoFarm will serve as a real-world testing site to:

• Evaluate pollination performance
• Support continuous, year-round growing cycles
• Replicate realistic vertical farming conditions
• Enable close collaboration between researchers and engineers

-> This is where research meets reality.

“Montel’s mission has always been to help growers grow more with less space. Collaborating with TMU allows us to push the boundaries of what indoor agriculture can achieve when science and engineering work hand in hand.”

— Yves Bélanger, VP Sales – Vertical Farming, Montel Inc.

A Canadian Collaboration with Global Relevance

This partnership brings together academic research, philanthropic leadership, and industrial engineering — all focused on advancing resilient, sustainable indoor food systems.

For Montel, it reinforces a long-standing commitment: applying precision engineering to the most pressing challenges facing modern agriculture.

And for the industry, it signals what’s next.

For more information about MoFarm.
Please contact our vertical farming team at:
📧 sales@montel.com