Nicolas Auriac and Quentin Jeandel, the founders of Neopouss company, decided to grow microgreens underground in the city center of Toulouse (Haute-Garonne). Their goal was to offer nutrient-rich and flavorful plants to local restaurateurs. This urban farm, located in the Arnaud Bernard district, utilizes vertical modules to cultivate carrots, peas, mahogany, nasturtium, and borage in a controlled environment with regulated temperatures and humidity.
Both entrepreneurs had previous 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 in this venture. In 2021, they won a regional call for projects focused on fighting climate change and decided to start their urban farm using hydroponics to minimize water and energy consumption. They underwent training in this technique abroad before establishing their first premises on rue Gabriel Peri and 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, providing high-quality microgreens to the local community and beyond.