Growing opportunities: Phood Farm’s journey

Phood Farm was founded by Sabine Feron, Tim Elfring, Liza Disselhorst, and Robin Meulen. These four individuals come from diverse backgrounds, varying from business to healthcare. They crossed paths during a Tai Chi training in England, where they learned to harmonize with nature. Tim explains: “Through Tai Chi, you learn powerful yet simple principles and exercises to develop yourself and thrive in a sometimes chaotic, complex, or harsh society. We also discovered the importance of health by working in the garden, understanding our bodies, and nourishing them with wholesome food, close to the source.” This knowledge flows like lifeblood through their company, guiding Tim to pursue entrepreneurship from the heart and follow his gut instincts to achieve his goals.

Not only do the four entrepreneurs share this knowledge, but they also have a collective mission: to reconnect people with the wisdom of nature by working in and with nature. They prioritize health by making the food chain more local, social, and healthier. After their training, they struggled to find nourishing meals that met these criteria. That’s when Tim and Sabine came up with the idea of starting a food truck to truly nourish people from within and amaze them with the taste and freshness of local ingredients. “Much of our food is no longer as nutritious as it used to be. Nowadays, you might need to eat four servings of broccoli to get the same nutrients as before.” It’s not just about sufficient nutrients. Local food is often processed, loaded with sugars, or additives. “That can have long-term consequences.” They soon felt like one meal wouldn’t make enough impact. It was time for broader reach.

Their search led Tim and Sabine to Eindhoven, where local food production was already established. They sold the food truck and opened the world’s first aquaponic farm restaurant on the former Campina site (now De Caai) in Eindhoven. “In the restaurant, we grew our own leafy greens. This allowed us to show the food chain to our guests and let them experience local cuisine. We had more time with our guests, hosted groups, shared our story, and collaborated even more effectively with regenerative farmers in the area.” This solid foundation enabled further growth. In 2021, they had the opportunity to take over the entire urban farm.

The Tai Chi principles and exercises not only make you more resilient as an entrepreneur, but also apply to daily life. Liza and Robin, who completed the same Tai Chi training, joined the team, and Phood Kitchen evolved into Phood Farm. Here, they employ individuals with barriers to employment. These often include young people dealing with conditions like autism, ADHD, or burnout. Gardening provides them with a sense of calm, and they receive personalized guidance from work supervisors, psychologists, and Tai Chi Chi Kung coaches. This approach allows them to develop their talents at their own pace—a practice they call ‘soul gardening.’ “The people who come here are often those who struggle to find their place in society,” explains Tim. “Over time, it becomes harder for them to hold their ground or recognize their talents. That’s what they learn here. But they also learn resilience when faced with adversity.” This combination of soul gardening and personal support yields results: “You can see their self-confidence growing. It’s beautiful. With this newfound confidence, they have the opportunity to continue growing—within our company or in other directions.”

One of the final steps in their growth process was gaining their own piece of land. They now cultivate products using permaculture—a method that involves adapting to the environment. People from the local community can sign up to become community farmers. It’s a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and a beautiful way to reconnect with the earth. These community farmers work outdoors on the land and receive discounts on the Farmer Boxes, bridging the gap between humans and nature.

Phood Kitchen and Phood Farm have merged into one location, one team, and one mission. While they take pride in their current achievements, the company has ambitious dreams. In about a year and a half, they’ll establish a permanent Phood location at De Caai. Here, they’ll grow leafy greens for approximately 700 households and local restaurants. Simultaneously, they’ll provide employment for 40 young individuals. Additionally, they aim to refine their concept to eventually assist other cities in developing urban farms. It’s all about growing together. Another initiative involves shared ownership. “Employees become co-owners of the company,” explains Tim. “This fosters greater passion for their work and a genuine sense of involvement. However, this is a long-term plan.”

Their journey has been significant. Tim beautifully describes it: “In nature, it’s the wind that disperses seeds. Similarly, we’ve finally landed, ready to grow into a mighty tree. It’s only possible with the right conditions and the support of other trees and roots around us (such as Rabo Foundation). Despite facing strong winds and natural disasters over the years, we’ve only grown stronger.”