PRO CHMEL – The world's first app for more efficient hop production

Item: Ackee
Author: Jakub Zaoral

Year: 2024

Client: Asahi

INTRODUCTIONAn innovative project to support Czech hop growers

What happens when critical players in the brewing industry join forces with software experts? An innovative research project by Plzeňský Prazdroj and its parent company, Asahi, aimed to optimize hop production. The result is a groundbreaking application that transforms hop growers' operations, enhancing efficiency and sustainability in hop cultivation.

OutputsUXDesignWeb appBackendTesting

CategoryDigitalization

CHALLENGEMillions of data points in one application

How do you create a tool in just a few months that helps hop growers cultivate their crops more efficiently? Our task was integrating data from hop fields, weather stations, satellite images, and other sources into a predictive model powered by AI. A model able to forecast and advise on irrigation strategies to achieve the desired yield and quality of the harvest.

SOLUTIONThe first application of its kind

In just three months, we developed a progressive web application that integrates complex data and, based on this information, provides hop growers with practical advice for more efficient irrigation. This was made possible through PWA technology and the shared storage and logic for both frontend and backend development. This approach allowed the application to be quickly tested in a pilot phase.

HIGHLIGHTSBetter conditions for hops

The PRO CHMEL application addresses the long-standing issue of water scarcity, which threatens Czech hop yields. Over two years, we mapped field conditions so thoroughly that hop growers can now mitigate the adverse effects of weather by adjusting irrigation. As a result, some farmers in the pilot phase reported up to a 40% increase in yields compared to previous years. Our work is having a tangible impact on the entire brewing industry.

"At Ackee, we found experienced professionals with a keen interest in sustainability who were able to create an effective technical solution for our innovative research project under a tight deadline, bringing us closer to achieving carbon neutrality in manufacturing by 2030."