VOL 27 ISSUE 16, April 20, 2026
Main caption: Delaware North’s Mindil Beach Casino Resort in Darwin, Australia, last week launched an indoor vertical farming system with InvertiGro inside il Piatto Restaurant, allowing chefs to harvest fresh herbs, microgreens and edible flowers on-site for a hyperlocal farm-to-table experience. Pictured (left to right) during the event are Gaurav Gulati, executive chef of Mindil Beach Casino Resort; Brad Morgan, general manager (GM) of Mindil Beach Casino Resort; Steve Ehlers, GM of Simon George & Sons; and Paul Millett, CEO of Invertigro.
Delaware North’s Mindil Beach Casino Resort in Darwin, Australia, is reshaping fresh produce supply in the Northern Territory through a first-of-its-kind partnership that recently launched a hyperlocal indoor farming initiative at the resort.
The collaboration between Mindil Beach, Simon George & Sons and agricultural tech innovator InvertiGro introduces a cutting-edge hub-and-spoke indoor farming model – the first in the Northern Territory – that enables premium fresh produce to be grown only steps from where it is served to guests.
Guests can experience this innovation firsthand at the newly refreshed il Piatto, where an InvertiWall vertical farming system allows diners to observe produce growing inside the venue. Harvested moments before it reaches the plate or glass, the produce provides freshness, flavor and nutritional value.
Behind the scenes, but only minutes away in Winnellie, Simon George & Sons is supporting the collaboration with additional supplies and ingredients sustainably grown using InvertiGro’s InvertiCube technology, which is designed for commercial-scale food supply.
The initiative showcases the intersection of technology, local agriculture and hospitality, delivering an elevated dining experience while advancing sustainability outcomes.
Currently growing a range of herbs, microgreens and edible flowers featured in il Piatto’s creative dishes and drinks, InvertiGro’s controlled-environment systems remove the constraints of climate and seasonality and are capable of growing a wide range of crops, enabling chefs to access rare, out-of-season and regionally unique ingredients to support premium dining experiences at Mindil Beach Casino Resort.
“Our technology enables fresh produce to be grown almost anywhere, regardless of climate or season,” said Paul Millett, co-founder and CEO of InvertiGro. “Partnering with Mindil Beach Casino Resort and Simon George & Sons to provide producers, hospitality providers and diners with a real taste of the possibilities with InvertiGro technology is incredibly exciting.”
For Delaware North, the partnership reinforces the company’s commitment to innovative, responsible hospitality, prioritizing local sourcing, reducing environmental impact and enhancing guest experiences.
“This partnership reflects Delaware North’s and Mindil Beach Casino Resort’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in hospitality. With it we can elevate our dining experiences with consistently high-quality and hard-to-come-by ingredients while also supporting local producers and reducing our environmental footprint,” said Brad Morgan, general manager of Mindil Beach Casino Resort.
“Growing produce just minutes from where it will be served is an exciting step forward for fresh food supply in the Territory,” Morgan said. “This project allows us to deliver exceptional quality while continuing our commitment to a greener, more sustainable future.”
For Simon George & Sons, the initiative builds on their commitment to solving real supply challenges in the territory to get the freshest possible produce to customers with less distance, less waste and less reliance on long freight routes.
“Our team has always found ways to get quality fresh produce to our customers despite the distances and challenges involved. This takes that a step further, and it’s a pretty remarkable thing to be part of,” said Steve Ehlers, general manager, Simon George & Sons Darwin.
Together, the partners are setting a new benchmark for hyperlocal food production in the Northern Territory, empowering chefs at Mindil Beach Casino Resort to create world-class cuisine using the freshest ingredients possible, grown right where they are needed.