Frosco: Groundbreaking innovation in viticulture looking to branch out
10th March 2025
Frosco’s advanced foam is a breakthrough in frost protection, with wider benefits on the horizon too.
After some difficulties with finding a suitable system for spraying its foam, Frosco is finally ready for field testing this spring and seeking additional partners.
For those new to Frosco, it has developed a foam that can protect crops all night against temperatures well below freezing. The ultra-stable foam is plant-based, low-cost and entirely safe for crops.
Founder George Klat – a fruit grower himself – spent six years developing this solution, inspired by how a blanket of snow can insulate and frustrated with the available environmentally harmful solutions. His work drew interest from researchers at Imperial College London back in 2022, and since then, George has continued refining the technology to prepare it for commercial application.
Previous attempts at foam-based frost protection, dating back to the 1950s, fell short in both practicality and performance. They required layers over 10cm thick to provide meaningful insulation – making them unsuitable for vines and most fruit crops. Even then, the foams were often too unstable to last through the night and came with a price tag that made widespread use unrealistic.
Frosco’s innovation represents a significant step forward in foam-based frost protection, and indeed frost protection more generally, being cost-effective, ultra-stable and remarkably reliable against cold weather.
How does it work?
Our foam is designed to work with sub-zero temperatures, rather than against them. As temperatures fall, water in the foam freezes and releases latent heat, which the foam essentially captures and slows, forming a protective blanket around crops. The release of latent heat during phase transitions drives many natural processes. During dew formation, for example, when water vapour condenses into liquid droplets, latent heat is released which creates a thin layer of protective warmth on surfaces.
Indeed, modern frost-fighting sprinkler systems also leverage this principle, but Frosco’s system harnesses it far more efficiently. Unlike sprinkler systems, which run all night, the foam is just applied once – minimising water usage, driving down costs and not drenching fields.
Frosco also offers an alternative to wind machines and heaters, which can be costly, energy-intensive and not always effective – but could also work in tandem with these systems to enhance protection.
Frost protection is just the beginning, however, with trials underway to explore the potential of the foam in easing pest and fungal pressures, including acting as a barrier to SWD in vineyards. Early results also suggest the foam provides protection against extreme heat, with temperatures inside the foam 5–7°C cooler than outside temperatures.
The remarkable versatility of the foam could one day offer growers a comprehensive, all-season protection system.
How to apply it
We are happy to announce a recent breakthrough in our nozzle technology, which means the foam can now be applied efficiently and with consistent quality. One of the key advantages of our foam is that it can be applied by just one or two individuals, unlike traditional methods that require constant monitoring or overnight operation.
The foam can also be applied well in advance of an expected frost event, either on the same day or, depending on the formulation, many days ahead. We hope this flexibility will provide peace of mind to growers, allowing them to plan proactively rather than reacting to sudden temperature drops.
Spring trials
Preliminary results from CRAM, an independent Canadian laboratory, have confirmed the efficacy of the foam for protecting crops through the night. The full results will be published in summer.
This spring will also see widespread field testing in British and French vineyards. We welcome further interested vineyards, and are now actively seeking growers in other agricultural sectors looking to trial the foam.
If you are interested in speaking directly to Frosco please contact online. Alternatively, reach out to George Klat via george@frosco.io or give him a call on 07484 320344.
