Fact sheet written by Matteo Gnocchi, Martina Nodari, and Elisa Tortello from the Gastronomic Design Sciences course of the UNISG Bachelor of Science in Gastronomic Sciences and Cultures degree program
Country: Canada
Address: 644 rang 3, Ste-Clotilde, Québec, J0L 1W0
Type of reality: Cultivation of non-perennial crops
Target audience: B2C
Claim: True to your values
Website: gen-v.com
Scenario
Since the 2000s there has been a 70% increase in pesticide use.
Industrial agriculture is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, the standardization of crops makes them much more susceptible to climate change, which is becoming increasingly violent due to global warming; on the other hand, as the data show, it itself produces greenhouse gases that contribute to worsening global warming and thegreenhouse effect.
By now it is clear that, from a systemic perspective, this highly centralized food model is not sustainable and never has been in the long run (Capra et al., 2016).
In fact, in addition to the obvious effects of climate change, we are witnessing a worrying loss of biodiversity, land degradation, and numerous other environmental and socioeconomic crises. Despite this, due to the world’s population growth, which has now reached 8.2 billion people, the demand for food is steadily increasing (WWF, 2023; Populationtoday, 2025).
Fortunately, several alternatives based on ecological principles have developed over the past two decades, capable of ensuring the production of healthy food with greater energy efficiency, in line with the pillars of sustainability, and geared toward communities. These techniques include certified organic farming, biodynamic agriculture, permaculture, hydroponics, and many others (Capra et al., 2016).
Description
As of March 1 , 2023, the latest generation of the Terrault family, growers of lettuce and other vegetables in Quebec, will transform the brand to “Cultures GenV” to more efficiently communicate their principles based on hydroponic, organic, GMO-free and against the systematic use of pesticides (Greenhouse Canada, 2023; Poirier, 2023).
The company, in its original form, was born in 1987, with a revolutionary project that brought together families eager to grow vegetables in a way never before seen in Quebec, in greenhouses with advanced technologies, entirely above ground.
“Gen V” currently operates four greenhouse complexes in Quebec, covering an area of about 30 hectares. These greenhouses are all located near city centers to keep vegetables fresh and avoid long commutes (GenV, n.d.; Greenhouse Canada, 2023).
In addition to a focus on caring for and producing healthy raw materials, the new generation of the Terrault family pays special attention to using green energy, reusing water, using recyclable materials and producing eco-designed packaging.
The company also cares about the health and well-being of its employees: this is where the name “Gen V” comes from, from a generation that cares about food, people and theenvironment (Poirier, 2023).
Bibliography
- Food and Agriculture Organization. (2024). FAO Statistical Yearbook 2024: Insights on sustainability, food security, and agrifood employment. FAO. https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/fao-statistical-yearbook-2024-reveals-critical-insights-on-the-sustainability-of-agriculture-food-security-and-the-importance-of-agrifood-in-employment/it
- Gen V. (n.d.). Homepage. Gen V. https://gen-v.com/en
- Greenhouse Canada. (2023). Quebec greenhouse grower rebrands into Cultures Gen V. Greenhouse Canada. https://www.greenhousecanada.com/quebec-greenhouse-grower-rebrands-into-cultures-gen-v/
- Journal Le Nord. (2023).
La marque Gen V propose une agriculture moderne . Journal Le Nord. https://www.journallenord.com/actualite/la-marque-gen-v-propose-une-agriculture-moderne/ - Population Today. (n.d.).
Homepage . Population Today. https://populationtoday.com/it/ - Slow Food Italy. (2017).
Is there a viable and sustainable alternative to industrial agriculture . Slow Food Italy. https://www.slowfood.it/esiste-unalternativa-praticabile-e-sostenibile-allagricoltura-industriale/ - WWF Italy. (n.d.). Agriculture: cause and victim of its own environmental impact. WWF Italy. https://www.wwf.it/pandanews/clima/agricoltura-causa-e-vittima-del-suo-stesso-impatto-ambientale/
