This February marks two years since the launch of The Xara Gardens in Malta and their revolutionary aquaponics system. At The Xara Gardens, with the guidance of expert farmers and Sustainable Resource Innovator Michael Bourne, the team are actively and perceptibly looking for a more sustainable way of doing business. The Xara Collection is essentially a pioneer in investing in innovative practices in sustainable growth.
Cutting down on waste
Many of the vegetables used in the various restaurants across The Xara Collection portfolio are now home-grown. In the two years since the reveal of The Xara Gardens, the team have also incorporated several additional sustainable concepts including: waste food recycling, upscaling of waste material including wood and carton boxes, the storage of rainwater and water retention techniques in the fields to reduce water required for irrigation and the elimination of pesticides (through companion planting). These sustainable practices further highlight The Xara Collection’s commitment to sustainability.
Multitrophic Aquaponic Microfarm
The revolutionary aquaponics system that was first installed in February 2022 has now significantly improved, growing in size and now incorporating a microgreens room: a temperature-controlled aquaponics system that automatically waters microgreens and provides additional nutrients to produce the healthiest microgreens, which are then used across The Xara Collection’s various restaurants. These microgreens are grown through the aquaponics system, using food waste from The Xara Collection’s various outlets, which is then fed to insects and used as food for fish. The nutrient-rich fish waste is used as fertiliser to produce top-quality, chemical-free, nourishing and delicious greens for The Xara Collection’s various eateries, such as Michelin-Star restaurant, De Mondion.
Sustainable Resource Innovator: Michael Bourne
In order to continue celebrating their sustainability mission and further drive sustainable initiatives, Michael Bourne has been hired as The Xara Collection’s ‘Sustainable Resource Innovator’ - a pioneering first for the collection. Michael designed and implemented the entire aquaponics system at The Xara Gardens, and now continues to manage and operate the aquaponics system, as well as the microgreens room and The Xara Gardens in its entirety. By hiring a professional to champion sustainability within the collection, The Xara Collection demonstrates its unwavering commitment to making sustainable choices across their collection of restaurants and at The Xara Palace.
Farm to Fork
The Xara Collection’s farming experts and chefs work together to establish which seasonal crops to grow, which will ultimately find themselves on the menus of the various restaurants within the collection. These menus are tweaked on a weekly basis to ensure that the collection’s chefs are using the freshest and most seasonal ingredients possible, to really enhance that ‘farm to fork’ experience for guests and customers. This has also guaranteed a huge reduction in fuel miles, which would result from deliveries on trucks from third party suppliers.
Justin Zammit Tabona, Director at The Xara Collection, comments: “We are all very proud of our continuous efforts to push our gastronomic boundaries through our unique sustainable project at The Xara Gardens by making a better world through cuisine and hospitality, and continually pushing Malta on the international gastronomic map.”
Michael Bourne, Sustainable Resource Innovator at The Xara Collection, adds: “I am extremely proud of how The Xara Gardens have grown since we first introduced the aquaponics system in February 2022. We are now generating an incredible amount by just the microgreens room alone, which demonstrates the amazing power of sustainability when it’s done right. I can’t wait to see how sustainability continues to grow across The Xara Collection.”
HOW: To find out more about The Xara Gardens, please visit The Xara Collection’s website here: xaracollection.com/sustainability/
