The quality of an ingredient has a profound effect on its flavour. A ripe tomato eaten as soon as it’s picked versus one that’s been forced to ripen in a refrigerated lorry is going to taste completely different.

The same goes for salad leaves. A limp leaf in a plastic bag that’s been grown as quickly as possible with pesticides has, sadly, become the norm on supermarket shelves. Intensively farmed leaves are watery, wilted and a far cry from what they should taste like. That is, until, Planet Farms appeared on the scene.

School friends Luca Travaglini and Daniele Benatoff started Planet Farms in 2018 after seeing what was out there and wanting something more. By going the extra step and developing a new technologically-led way of growing leaves which revolutionises traditional agriculture in the process, they wanted to ensure environmentally friendly practices too. But of course, taste and texture are prioritised above all else, which means Planet Farms’ leaves are a cut above the usual bagged salads: as crisp and fresh as if they’ve been picked moments before, with a flavour so full it reminds you that salads are something to be treasured rather than forgotten on the side.

The secret? It’s not down to seeds, sun or soil. It’s all about cutting-edge tech, thinking outside the box and giving each plant exactly what it needs.

Planet Farms is what the future of farming looks like. There is no soil, no vast open fields and no battling with nature. Instead, crops are grown year-round on their farm in the north of Italy. Bathed in purple-hued, fine-tuned ultraviolet lights, shelves upon shelves of verdant leaves are stacked on top of one another and can be seen thriving in perfect conditions.

Those perfect conditions result in tastier leaves. Because the plants aren’t using vital resources to combat the forces of nature – wind, heat, rain, pests, competition from weeds – they can focus on growing as healthily as possible. And a healthy plant is a tasty plant.

Because Planet Farms grows its crops hydroponically, each plant receives the exact amount of water and nutrients it needs, which gives the leaves the crispest possible texture and deepest possible flavour. The seeds and plants are pure and untreated, with no need for pesticides thanks to the sealed temperature-controlled environment. Even the light and humidity within the rooms are meticulously monitored and controlled, to ensure truly optimal conditions for every seed’s needs. And when it comes to harvesting, it’s all done mechanically – meaning the first human hands to touch the leaves are yours when you open the bag.

Big buildings, artificial lights, mechanical harvesting – you’d be forgiven for thinking this might mean less-than-stellar environmental credentials. In fact, the opposite is true. Planet Farms’ approach to growing crops is incredibly sustainable and far better than a lot of traditional farming methods.

Water usage is probably the most impressive. Planet Farms’ operations use 96% less water than open-field farming, thanks to the clever closed-loop irrigation system which ensures the roots only get the exact amount of hydration they need. Because of the controlled environment, the leaves never need washing before packing either, saving a huge amount of wasted water.

The closed loop system means waste is also massively reduced, and the way the leaves are grown and packaged means they stay fresher for longer. This isn’t sustainability as a buzzword – it’s integral to how Planet Farms produces its leaves.

All this futuristic tech and sustainable farming only works if the final product is worth it. And if a three-Michelin-starred restaurant is championing your leaves, it’s safe to say they’re up to scratch. Da Vittorio, the world-famous restaurant from the Cerea brothers, discovered Planet Farms during the first of the Covid-19 lockdowns in Italy, when the business donated leaves to a local hospital canteen at the peak of the crisis.

Impressed by the quality of the leaves and the way in which they were grown, the brothers teamed up with Planet Farms to create a dedicated vertical farm on the restaurant grounds, giving the kitchen team access to specialist leaves and microgreens grown in the same sustainable, innovative way.

Thankfully, here in the UK we don’t need to visit a three-starred restaurant to taste Planet Farms’ leaves. They’re available in selected Waitrose stores in four mixed bags: Harmony Mix (fresh and crunchy), Mixed Leaves (sweet and velvety), Vitality Mix (punchy and peppery) and Delicate Mix (sweet and moreish).

The bags (made predominantly of paper rather than plastic, of course) are bold and colourful, with the leaves within on proud display. But the amount of work and genius behind the scenes to make these leaves the best on the shelf often goes unsung. Planet Farms is a pioneer in every sense of the word – and you only need to taste a single leaf to understand why.

If you'd like to take a look at a few recipes which showcase Planet Farms' leaves in all their glory, try these Cauliflower steaks with olive powder and pomegranate or this Contemporary Waldorf salad.