Trial paves the way for growers to capitalize on the market opportunity to provide locally grown bell peppers during the winter months.

Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, is pleased to announce their fifth year of cooperation with the University of British Columbia (UBC) to develop a production protocol for growing peppers year-round under Philips brand LED lighting. The multi-year trial paves the way for growers to capitalize on the market opportunity to provide locally grown bell peppers during the winter months.

Researchers at UBC and plant specialists at Signify saw a need for an extensive trial under the climate- and growing conditions specific to Canadian growers, which led to the start of the trial in 2021. Research in the first four years focused on demonstrating the feasibility of cultivation under LED lighting by selecting the right genetics and light spectrum. Whereas, the fifth year of the UBC trial is using color tunable lights in support of year-round production. While Canadian growers produced an impressive 175 million kilograms of greenhouse peppers in 2024*, about a quarter of the annual pepper consumption is being imported, due mostly to the fact that Canadian-grown peppers haven’t been grown in greenhouses during the winter months due to a lack of natural light levels.

The trial setup for 2025-2026 uses the new Philips GreenPower LED toplighting force (TLF) 2.1, providing dynamic light-steering capabilities across three separate channels, which allows for full control of the desired light recipe. In other trials conducted by the global Signify team, there has been a noted benefit of incorporating far-red light into the spectrum, which is being further evaluated during the current trial. In addition, researchers are evaluating and fine-tuning other aspects of production, such as variety selection, pruning techniques, pest and disease control, temperature, energy conservation, and more. “We are looking at all aspects of production in order to develop a comprehensive production protocol that growers can implement into their schedule,” explains Melina Biron, Greenhouse Research Manager at UBC.

“The trial conversation between UBC and Signify was initiated in 2020 after Melina visited with the Philips horticulture team,” said Esther de Beer, Global Manager, Plant Specialists. “We were excited to initiate the trial when it started in 2021 and collaborate with the UBC team develop a production protocol for year-round pepper production under LED lighting.”

In addition to Signify as the main sponsor, the trial is made possible with the support of several industry suppliers. Most notably, the research team would like to thank Rijk Zwaan, Svensson, and BioBee for providing both monetary as well as product support. “We are grateful to our industry partners, who see the value in this research and who are supporting this year’s trial so generously,” states Amos Bassi, Senior Plant Specialist at Signify. Additional sponsors have helped make the research possible with donations from Syngenta, Bevo Farms, Priva, Climatrol Solutions, and Prins Greenhouses.

The Signify team is working with local growers to share trial updates and incorporate their knowledge into the trials, which includes ROI calculations to show the feasibility and opportunities of winter pepper production. The trial is scheduled to conclude in June of 2026, at which point detailed findings will be shared. Read more about the UBC pepper trial history and the ongoing 2025-26 trial.

* source: Statistics Canada, 2025

For further information, please contact:

Philips horticulture LED solutions by Signify

Daniela Damoiseaux – Global Marcom Manager

For further information, please contact:

Philips horticulture LED solutions by Signify

Daniela Damoiseaux – global marcom manager

Tel: +316 40578311

E-mail:Daniela.damoiseaux@signify.com

About Signify

Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2021, we had sales of EUR 6.9 billion, approximately 37,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We achieved carbon neutrality in 2020, have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for six consecutive years and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.

New Zealand – Australian Contact:

Aart Slobbe

Account Manager Horticulture LED Solutions

+ 61 448 881 338

Email  aart.slobbe@signify.com  

Suite 022, 44 Lakeview Drive

Scoresby, VIC 3179, Australia

About Signify

Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers and lighting for the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact connected lighting systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. With 2020 sales of EUR 6.5 billion, we have approximately 38,000 employees and are present in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light with smart lighting solutions that improve quality of life, and by working towards a sustainable future. We became a carbon-neutral company in 2020, since our stock market listing, we have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for four years in a row and were named Industry Leader in 2017, 2018 and 2019. News from Signify is located at the Newsroom, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors can be found on the Investor Relations page.

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