Revolutionary Automated Harvester Transforms Broccoli Into Plant-Based Protein

At the core of UPP’s innovation are two transformative  technologies: Harvesta and Intellia.

Harvesta is UPP’s patented automated selective harvester that replaces the labour-intensive and inefficient manual harvest of broccoli. It uses machine learning and advanced imaging to identify and cut only mature broccoli heads with precision—reducing harvest costs, crop loss, and reliance on seasonal labour. Crucially, Harvesta also collects the stalks, which are typically left in the field as waste.

These stalks are then upcycled through proprietary processing into food-grade ingredients —protein, fibre —which are hypoallergenic, nutritious, and suitable for both plant-based and hybrid food applications, from burgers to smoothies.

Intellia, UPP’s crop intelligence platform, enhances this system by turning every pass of Harvesta into a data-gathering event. High-resolution images of every plant are analysed in real-time, building a dynamic, high-granularity map of the field. Intellia provides actionable insights that support precision agriculture, improving crop management, predicting yield, and optimising harvest timing.

Together, Harvesta and Intellia form a vertically integrated, AI-powered platform that captures and elevates overlooked biomass into high-value, sustainable ingredients. UPP is not just reducing food waste; it's creating a scalable, data-rich ecosystem for the future of tech-enabled food systems.