‘Neighbourhood-scale food retail’ succeeds thanks to automated climate-controlled production.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Feb. 11, 2026 — LocalDutch, a The Hague-based agri-tech and food retail firm, is prepared to launch a Dutch-developed model with local impact: a standardized, scalable framework that merges on-site food production with direct-to-consumer retail and local delivery in a single location. This reduces transportation costs, food waste, and operational complexity.

The Dutch company refers to these Urban Farm Shops as “LocalDutch Shops”: a compact setup combining controlled-environment agriculture with a neighborhood-focused retail model. The ambition is simple and scalable—grow fresh vegetables year-round, sell them locally, and build a social gathering place around community-grown food. This local focus is critical in parts of the United States, Caribbean, and Africa where fresh produce remains hard to access and supply chains often rely on long-distance transport. 

Revenue comes from direct retail sales, memberships, and last-mile delivery partnerships, allowing flexibility for local markets while maintaining a consistent operational core. Arne Spliet, co-founder of LocalDutch, said: “What we’re bringing to the United States is pure Dutch technology, applied in a way that’s both effective and easy to scale. In a sector where skilled greenhouse climate specialists are few, our system automates much of that work. That helps ensure reliably successful local production—and that’s exactly what many communities worldwide urgently need.”

A key barrier for high-performing greenhouses is expertise: maintaining a stable, optimal climate requires specialized knowledge, and such professionals are scarce. LocalDutch says its solution is automation. Its system uses an autonomous climate “autopilot,” managed centrally via AI and cloud services, so individual locations can operate consistently without relying on rare on-site climate specialists with deep expertise. 

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About LocalDutch 
LocalDutch develops and operates standardized Urban Farm Shops that integrate controlled-environment food production with local retail and community engagement. Headquartered in The Hague (the Netherlands), LocalDutch has offices in the United States. 
  

About The Hague & Partners 
The Hague & Partners is the official marketing and acquisition organization for promoting The Hague, focused on residents, visitors, conferences, businesses, and institutions.
 

 

SOURCE LocalDutch